Falcons Place Franchise Tag on Former Rookie Sensation
Everyone’s fantasy favorite, Kyle Pitts, was just franchise tagged by the Atlanta Falcons. Every year, someone places their fantasy hopes on the unicorn tight end just as the Falcons have. Coming out of the University of Florida, Kyle Pitts was drafted as the fourth pick of the 2021 NFL Draft as the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history. Weighing in at six-foot-six and 250 pounds, Pitts recorded a 4.44-second 40-yard dash with an 83 ⅜ wingspan at the NFL Combine; his metrics made him an obvious top talent, to say the least. He has since had a historic rookie season and a resurgence in efficiency in 2025, now looking to perform at his best more consistently with Atlanta.
Drafted with expectations of turning around a franchise, Pitts would live up to the hype and deliver a historic rookie season to the city of Atlanta. Pitts became the second rookie tight end in NFL history to surpass 1000 receiving yards, joining the one and only Mike Ditka. He would finish his rookie season with 1,026 yards, setting the Falcons’ franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end. He would also be selected for the 2021 Pro Bowl as a rookie, being the first rookie tight end to do so since 2002. Ever since, Pitts and the Falcons have struggled on the field, with Pitts being held back by nagging injuries and constant coaching changes. In the 2025 season, however, he would catch for 88 receptions and five touchdowns to earn Second-team All-Pro honors and record his second-best season.
A standout offensive threat by virtually every measurable metric, Pitts and the Falcons have not produced the type of magic many were expecting from a generational tight end. Following a 2025 All-Pro season, Pitts enters the 2026 offseason as one of the most high-profile names on the free agency market, with many believing the Falcons have only scratched the surface of his potential. As we entered the offseason, many teams, including the Super Bowl losing team, the New England Patriots, were among the many teams to admire Pitts and his skillset. The Los Angeles Chargers were also among many teams to have interest in the former rookie sensation, hoping to give Justin Herbert an elite blocker but also a dangerous passing threat. Now franchise-tagged, he has high hopes of reaching his true potential.
