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The Falcons will place the franchise tag on star tight end Kyle Pitts ahead of free agency
The Atlanta Falcons have already undergone quite a bit of change this offseason. Raheem Morris is out as the team’s head coach, with Kevin Stefanski being brought in to replace him. With the coaching staff largely set in stone, the Falcons will quickly begin turning their attention towards their roster-building efforts.
Right off the bat, the biggest item on Atlanta’s offseason to-do list involves figuring out what the future looks like for star tight end Kyle Pitts. While Pitts is on track to hit the open market, the Falcons could prevent that from happening by placing the franchise tag on him. According to a recent report, it sounds like the front office has made a final decision on whether or not it will use the franchise tag on Pitts.
Falcons Set to Place Franchise Tag on Kyle Pitts
The Falcons selected Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he’s struggled to meet the heightened expectations he’s faced since joining the team. Pitts has been unable to find any sort of consistency within Atlanta’s offense, leading to some serious frustration being sent both his way and the coaching staff’s way.
Pitts enjoyed arguably his best season in 2025, as he posted career-highs in both receptions (88) and touchdowns (five) while also racking up 928 yards. However, with free agency looming, the front office faced a big decision on Pitts. Did he do enough to earn a big-money contract extension, or did they feel it was time for him to find a new home?
Matt Ryan and Ian Cunningham, the leaders of Atlanta’s new-look front office, needed to make a decision on Pitts’ future quickly, especially with the deadline to use the franchise tag drawing near. On Monday, though, reports emerged indicating that the team will be placing the $15 million franchise tag on Pitts, giving the two sides more time to come to terms on a long-term contract extension.
“The Falcons are planning to franchise tag standout TE Kyle Pitts, sources say, keeping their playmaker in the fold on a 1-year, fully guaranteed deal worth more than $15M,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X. “The hope is to work out a long-term deal rather than the tag. The two sides have until July to do it.”
Falcons Still Have Work to Do to Secure Kyle Pitts’ Future
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – SEPTEMBER 25: Kyle Pitts #8 of the Atlanta Falcons looks on during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 25, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Placing the franchise tag on a player is something that cannot be done lightly, largely because of the price tag that is associated with it. By doing this, the Falcons have set a floor for their negotiations with Pitts. Now, in order to make this move worth their while, the front office has to find a way to agree to a longer-term deal with their star tight end.
Pitts could simply sign the franchise tag and play on this one-year deal, but the goal with this move is for Atlanta to find a way to keep him in town on a multi-year contract. Franchising Pitts is a big move, but the work has only just begun for the Falcons, as hammering out a big-money contract will likely be easier said than done.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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