The Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract. After the team picked up his fifth-year option but refused to give him a long-term extension, Pitts' future in Atlanta remains as murky as ever.
Despite being involved in trade speculation all offseason, signs point to the former fourth-overall pick starting the season in Atlanta. Where he ends up after the 2025 season, however, is more complicated than ever thanks to the latest contract extension news.
The #49ers and star TE George Kittle have agreed to terms on a big new contract extension that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid TE. 4 years, $76.4M with $40M guaranteed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2025
A big-time priority in SF. Brock Purdy up next? pic.twitter.com/tplz4yvrM6
George Kittle Extension Complicates Kyle Pitts' Future in Atlanta
On Tuesday, NFL fans woke up to the surprising news of George Kittle signing a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the San Francisco 49ers. While Kittle has obviously been one of the best tight ends in the league for a long-time, him becoming the highest-paid TE at age 31 was an unexpected development.
This means that the tight end market is inching closer to the wide receiver market, which has gone through the roof over the last couple of seasons. While average annual salaries for elite wide receivers have pushed the $30 million range, tight ends have started to get near $20 million AAV. After Trey McBride got a four-year, $76 million deal with the Cardinals earlier in the offseason, Kittle is the second tight end in the NFL to get over $19 million per year.
Pitts has obviously been nowhere near Kittle and McBride's level in the last few years. What he has shown in his rookie season is in the rearview mirror, but he still has the upside to be one of the NFL's most elite tight ends.
Yet, the Falcons will almost certainly be hesitant to pay him like one of the best at his position. All it takes is one team to believe in Pitts and break the bank for the talented playmaker. Considering the financial constraints the Falcons face, it's hard to imagine them paying anywhere near these salaries in the 2026 offseason unless Pitts has an unexpected breakout campaign.