Kyle Pitts Could Be Primed for a Massive Season Under Kevin Stefanski

Some of the Atlanta Falcons' offensive stars could be primed for a breakout year in 2026. With new head coach Kevin Stefanski taking the helm after the past few seasons with the Cleveland Browns, some of the Falcons' roster mainstays might find a jump in production based on Stefanski's offensive style. 

As the team battles this offseason for who will start at quarterback between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa, and already with the breakout from star running back Bijan Robinson, the biggest question is what the receiving core will look like for a team that is looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2017. 

Although the wide receiver room could use an extra target for the offense this upcoming season, the tight ends, especially Kyle Pitts Sr., are certainly in an interesting spot. 

Pitts is still looking for his big payday, as he currently just signed a franchise tag with the Falcons just before OTAs began. However, negotiations are still reported to be on the table before the season begins. Pitts, the star tight end, might actually benefit from waiting and betting on himself for the upcoming season. 

After the star tight end came off an all-pro season, the first in his career in 2025, he could potentially find himself with an even better performance on the stat sheet this upcoming season under Stefanski. The former Browns coach heavily relied on play-action and the running game during his tenure with Cleveland, which could easily open up Pitts for a higher percentage of the target share, especially early in the season when the offense is looking to find its identity. 

If Pitts has another high-performing season for the Falcons, they will be in an interesting situation and will be willing to extend him and remain with the franchise. The team has multiple decisions to make, including star wide receiver Drake London. If Pitts continues to succeed and help the Falcons get back to the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade, he's expected to make somewhere between $15 million and potentially $20 million per year, making him one of the highest-paid tight ends across the National Football League. 

The tight end always seems to find his name in trade rumors over the past couple of seasons, but that could easily change this year under the new regime. If they decide to fully commit to Kyle Pitts Sr. and go in a direction to keep the young core of Penix Jr. and Robinson together, Atlanta could find itself a perennial playoff contender as early as this year.