Kansas City Chiefs need a replacement for their star tight end, Travis Kelce, as this could be his final year on the field. One name that kept popping up this offseason as a potential fit for that spot was Kyle Pitts.

However, Pitts, who was initially franchise tagged by the Atlanta Falcons, has officially signed a new deal with the team.

“Kyle Pitts officially signed his 3-year contract,” ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported on X.

Pitts signed a $54 million extension, which will keep him with the Falcons through the 2028 season. The fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been a key tight end in the team’s passing game over the years.

His new deal includes $36 million fully guaranteed, and Pitts is set to earn $15.04 million in base salary this year, with an average annual value of $18 million.

That $18 million per year makes him the third-highest-paid tight end in the league. First is San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle ($19.1 million), and second is Arizona Cardinals' Trey McBride ($19 million).

In comparison, Kelce is on a one-year, $12 million deal, but that’s because his future remains uncertain. However, before this, he was on a two-year, $34.25 million deal with an average annual value of $17.12 million per year.

In his career so far, Pitts has racked up 284 receptions, 3,579 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns. He had his career-best season in 2025 with 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns.

Despite his performance, the lucrative extension drew immediate skepticism from ESPN analyst Booger McFarland about his consistency so far. 

ESPN’s Booger McFarland on Kyle Pitts’ extension

NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) on X shared a discussion around Kyle Pitts’ extension, where NFL analyst Booger McFarland spoke about his performance. He said the tight end has not been consistent enough to deserve such a big contract.

“I like the deal. I don’t love it,” McFarland said. “I don’t love it because I don’t think the player has lived up to what we thought he was gonna be… A tight end at 6-4, 6-5, 250 that can run 4.4. He was just going to be a matchup nightmare, and he just hasn’t been that just yet.” 

McFarland feels Pitts still hasn’t fully matched expectations, and the extension looks more based on potential than consistent performance so far. 

Now all eyes will be on Pitts to see how he responds in the coming seasons, and whether he can finally turn his talent into what Atlanta has been waiting for. 

Do you think this extension will bring out the best version of Kyle Pitts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore