Pitts, who played on his fifth-year option in 2025, is coming off one of his most productive seasons. His yardage total ranked second only to his record-breaking rookie season after being selected No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Here’s a look back at some of the most notable stats and facts from Pitts’ fifth season in Atlanta:

Finished second among tight ends in receptions (88) and receiving yards (928).
Tied a career high with five touchdowns in 2025, including a three-touchdown performance against Tampa Bay in Week 15.
Through Week 16, Pitts ranked No. 2 among tight ends in receptions of 10-plus yards and was tied for No. 1 in receptions of 20-plus yards.
His performance against the Buccaneers marked just the fourth time in NFL history that a tight end recorded 10-plus catches, 150-plus receiving yards and three-plus receiving touchdowns in a single game. The last tight end to accomplish the feat was Shannon Sharpe in 1996.

New head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked specifically about the tight end position and Pitts’ future in Atlanta during his introductory press conference in January. Though he did not discuss Pitts directly at the time, he emphasized how important the tight end position is within his offensive philosophy.

“I love the position. I coached it. It was my first position to coach on the offensive staff, was tight ends there with the Vikings under coach (Mike) Zimmer,” Stefanski said. “I love the position because of the versatility that it provides an offense. And you’ve seen it around the league. This is nothing new or earth-shattering, but tight ends that can line up all over make life hard on a defense. Whether you can line them up outside, in the backfield, in line, you name it, we love versatility at that position.

“Obviously, Kyle’s somebody that we’ll talk at length more about when it comes to those types of roster conversations, but the position itself is something that we feel really very strongly about.”

On Draymond Green’s podcast last month, Pitts was asked about the potential of playing for Stefanski, considering his focus and work with tight ends.

“To see what he’s done in the past is great,” Pitts said, “and talking to David (Njoku) there’s nothing but great things to say. I think that’d be pretty cool.”

In 2024 — when current Falcons offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was the Browns’ tight ends coach — Njoku finished No. 10 overall among tight ends in receptions and No. 9 in receiving touchdowns, leading the Browns with 64 catches and five touchdowns. That year, five tight ends spent time on the Browns’ active roster and combined for 111 receptions, 953 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 2025, rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. led the Browns and ranked No. 4 among all rookies in receiving yards after catching 72 passes for 731 yards and six touchdowns.

Both Stefanski and Rees bring with them a specific philosophy prioritizing tight ends, having both coached the position. The Falcons also retained Kevin Koger, Pitts’ tight end coach the last two seasons.

“Excited to work with him,” Stefanski said Tuesday. “Obviously, his talent is evident. You can see it on tape what he’s been able to do in his career to date, a guy we’re excited to working with.”

A few weeks after Stefanski himself said discussions with Pitts about his future would come, it would seem those discussions have now been had, with the outcome being that Pitts remains in Atlanta under the franchise tag.