Kyle Pitts stole the show on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2025, in Tampa when the Atlanta Falcons upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28. Pitts caught 11 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, a monster game that put him back in the spotlight and into pending free-agent chatter. Soon after, reporter Art Stapleton floated the idea that the Kansas City Chiefs could sign Pitts to replace Travis Kelce, saying “Patrick Mahomes is going to turn him into Tony Gonzalez.” With Kelce’s future now a big talk topic, Pitts’s late-season rise matters more than ever.
Kyle Pitts and Patrick Mahomes link gains loud attention
Kyle Pitts delivered the rare stat line first tight end since Shannon Sharpe in 1996 with at least 150 yards and three TDs in a game and scouts noticed immediately.
The performance came on Thursday Night Football in Tampa, and Falcons coach Raheem Morris said the plan was always to feed Pitts more.
That game also pushed Pitts above 700 receiving yards this season and tied his career high in touchdowns, giving him bargaining power in free agency.
Fans and writers quickly suggested he could fit in Kansas City’s offense, where Patrick Mahomes has turned tight ends into top stars before.
Some insiders, like Art Stapleton, publicly wrote that Mahomes could shape Pitts into a Hall of Fame style weapon similar to Tony Gonzalez.
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Travis Kelce retirement talk and Chiefs’ other options
Travis Kelce is 36 and on many minds after a rough 2025 season. Media talk about a possible retirement has grown louder this month, with commentators and outlets debating whether Kelce plays in 2026.
If Kelce retires or leaves, the Chiefs have two main paths: sign a veteran like Kyle Pitts in free agency, or draft a tight end in April.
Mock drafts and draft notes point to tight end targets such as Kenyon Sadiq and rounds-2/3 candidates like Michael Trigg, names linked to Kansas City in recent mock boards and analyst pieces.
The 2026 NFL Draft is set for April 23–25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, giving the Chiefs time to plan either move.
