Atlanta Falcons Place Franchise Tag on Gators Alum Kyle Pitts

Gators alumni and Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts is signing his franchise tag, putting him under contract with the Atlanta Falcons for 2026. This franchise tag is a one-year, fully guaranteed contract, preventing Pitts from becoming an unrestricted free agent. 

With this franchise tag, Pitts will lock in $15.045 million with the one-year tender while he and the Falcons continue to negotiate a long-term deal until the July 15 deadline. 

Coming out of his college career as the No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft, Pitts officially completed his rookie contract in 2025 with Atlanta. 

During his last season with the Falcons, Pitts finished second among tight ends with 88 receptions, 928 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, earning him a second-team AP All-Pro selection. 

In four NFL seasons, Pitts has started 72 of 78 games he has played, catching 284 passes for 3,579 yards and hauling in 15 touchdowns. 

While this has been his best NFL season yet, Pitts is still chasing the level of production he achieved with the Gators. In three seasons at Florida, Pitts was Florida’s all-time leader for most receiving yards in a single game from a tight end position. 

He finished his career at Florida with 100 total receptions for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns, even finishing in the top 10 of Heisman voting in 2020. 

Category: Atlanta Falcons, Football, Gators Football, NFL, NFL Draft