FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Kyle Pitts Sr. is officially locked in with the Atlanta Falcons through the 2028 season after signing a new three-year deal Monday.
With every new chapter comes a chance to reflect on the ones that led there. That's what Monday became for Pitts as he looked back on his career to this point.
He started at the beginning.
When asked what moment best captures the emotional high point of his time in Atlanta, Pitts didn't hesitate.
"Getting drafted," he said. "Being able to get the chance to get to this next level and play at the highest level, that's been a dream of mine since I started playing the game."
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Five seasons ago, Pitts entered the NFL as the highest-drafted tight end in league history at the time. His rookie season included record-setting performances, more than 1,000 receiving yards and a Pro Bowl selection. Looking back, though, Pitts remembers catching passes from Matt Ryan as the foundation of his career.
"You start out raw," Pitts said.
He credited veterans Hayden Hurst and Lee Smith with showing him what it meant to be a professional. In the years that followed, Jonnu Smith and MyCole Pruitt helped him stay the course as he worked his way back from a knee injury.
Pitts has caught passes from more quarterbacks than the number of seasons he's played in the league. He's learned three offensive systems. He's experienced the highs and lows of professional football, both individually and as part of the team.
Those experiences — those chapters — didn't harden Pitts. They shaped him. They gave him a more mature mindset, one that has carried him to his second contract.
It's that version of Pitts that Kevin Stefanski and Ian Cunningham got to know. The Falcons placed the franchise tag on Pitts earlier this year, giving the organization another season to evaluate the former top-five pick. Who would they coach? Who would they be investing in?
The player they saw every day was someone they not only liked but believed was worth keeping in the building for years to come.
"That was my opportunity," Pitts said of signing his franchise tag, "that Atlanta picked me up for another year to showcase (my skills), and then it was time to squeeze the rag. I was fortunate that I got the call and the interest in the long-term and when it happened it was pretty great.
"... It's always good to know when people like you and for them to invest and trust that I have a lot more to go is pretty cool to see and feel."
Pitts believes there's still much more ahead. After all, he's only 26 years old.
The NFL has plenty of examples of tight ends reaching another level after turning 25. Travis Kelce and George Kittle continue to produce well into their 30s, and Falcons fans don't have to look far into the franchise record book to remember what Tony Gonzalez accomplished during the later years of his career in Atlanta.
Pitts feels his growth as a player has been well documented. Even so, he believes that evolution is just hitting its second act.
"I want to do my part very well in whatever the coach asks me to do, whether that's blocking, running, being a leader to the rookies, pulling somebody aside to come along with me to do anything," Pitts said. "Whatever needs to be done for us to get to meaningful ball, I'm in. That's how I have been, and now it's just more enhanced."
Locked in for the future. Browse 50 photos of Kyle Pitts Sr. after signing a new contract, featuring the star tight end's best plays, celebrations, and career moments.
