The Atlanta Falcons haven't exactly gotten the most out of Kyle Pitts throughout his five-year NFL career. But after a turning point late last season, they're choosing to believe, signing Pitts to a three-year, $54 million contract extension that will keep him with the franchise through the 2028 season.
The talent is there, we've seen it. But he hasn't been able to put it all together between injuries and unstable QB play. But the fact of the matter is that the sky's the limit for what Pitts can accomplish in Kevin Stefanski's offense--the only question mark that remains is about how the QB situation looks.
Once the quarterback battle commences in training camp, it'll be Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa vying to be the Week 1 starter. It's apparently as wide open as it gets since it has yet to truly begin, but after re-signing, there should be one outcome in this competition that Pitts is hoping to see.
The Falcons need to start Tua Tagovailoa to get their money's worth with Kyle Pitts
Neither of these signal-callers will set the world on fire, but Tagovailoa offers the 25-year-old much more upside to capitalize on his new deal. We've seen him at his best when he's had skilled tight ends to take pressure off of him, and both of them should be able to get the most out of each other.
Penix never really hyper-targeted the former top-five pick like Kirk Cousins did while Drake London was hurt, but Pitts was still plenty productive with him. London is pretty clearly his favorite target and everyone else has melded behind him, but Atlanta didn't pay him $18 million a year to be a decoy.
Tua has had such a strong summer that the Dirty Birds should start him early on in the season. With every practice where he's healthy and Penix isn't, he's slowly pulling away. And if a TE-friendly quarterback starts in a TE-friendly offense, that's the best-case scenario for the $54 million man.
And for all you fantasy football managers out there, Pitts is no longer the fantasy landmine he used to be. Stefanski's offense is pretty tight end-friendly, and Tua supports good fantasy tight ends. In fact, one of Stefanski or Tagovailoa has supported a top-10 fantasy tight end in every season since 2020.
- 2025: Harold Fannin Jr. (6th)
- 2024: Jonnu Smith (4th)
- 2023: David Njoku (6th)
- 2022: David Njoku (10th)
- 2021: Mike Gesicki (9th)
- 2020: Mike Gesicki (7th)
Three of those seasons Tagovailoa supported a top-10 TE with much less talent. In one season with Jonnu Smith, he finished as the TE4. Jonnu Smith. The same man who backed Pitts up in Atlanta.
Not only does Tua Tagovailoa give this Falcons' offense the best chance to win immediately, he has a chance to fix their QB woes and make the Kyle Pitts extension look genius.
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