The last time Matt Ryan and Kyle Pitts were on the same team it was 2021, and Pitts had a historic season. Hopefully, history will repeat itself in 2026 now that the Falcons have placed the franchise tag on Pitts.
In 2021, when Pitts was a rookie, Ryan was his quarterback. Pitts looked like a star with 68 catches for 1,026 yards and one touchdown on 110 targets, and he averaged 10.4 PPR points per game. He became just the second rookie tight end with over 1,000 receiving yards, joining Mike Ditka, who accomplished the feat in 1961 with 1,076 yards. Brock Bowers joined their exclusive club in 2024 with 1,194 yards.
Fast forward to 2026, and Ryan is now the president of the Falcons. He was part of the decision to keep Pitts in Atlanta, and this is a great move for Pitts’ Fantasy value.
With Kevin Stefanski the new head coach of the Falcons, it could be another standout season for Pitts, who was great in 2025. He had 88 catches for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets, and he averaged 12.4 PPR points per game. He was the No. 5 tight end for the season.
But before we look at Stefanski’s history of using tight ends during his time in Cleveland (2020-25), let’s look at what Pitts has done in his career. And, as Fantasy managers, we know he’s been more potential than production during his five-year tenure.
Following his rookie campaign, Pitts struggled with a knee injury in 2022 and averaged just 7.6 PPR points in 10 games. He had another down season in 2023 at 8.1 PPR points per game, and he was at 7.7 PPR points per game in 2024.
Most Fantasy managers gave up on Pitts in 2025, and he was the No. 17 tight end selected based on the CBS Sports Average Draft Position at 143.3. But for anyone who drafted him, it was a nice reward.
He scored at least 12.9 PPR points in four of his first seven games. And in the second half of the season, Pitts was heroic at times, especially in the Fantasy playoffs when he had four games in a row with at least 15 PPR points from Weeks 13-16.
Included in that stretch was his outstanding performance at Tampa Bay in Week 15 with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets. He scored 45.6 PPR points, which is considered the fifth-best tight end outing of all-time, trailing only Kellen Winslow (57.4 PPR points in 1981), Winslow again (48.2 PPR points in 1983), Shannon Sharpe (46.3 PPR points in 1996) and Ditka (46 PPR points in 1961).
Now, part of the reason for Pitts’ success down the stretch was Drake London missing Weeks 12-15 with a knee injury. London also missed Week 8 against Miami, and in five games without London, Pitts averaged 19.1 PPR points over that span. In 12 games with London, Pitts averaged just 9.6 PPR points.
We also have to see what Atlanta does at quarterback in 2026 since Michael Penix Jr. is coming off a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 last season. The Falcons plan to release Kirk Cousins, so we’ll see who ends up competing with Penix for the starting job, and hopefully that quarterback will lean heavily on Pitts.
And this is where Stefanski’s history of tight ends should matter for Pitts. There were four times during Stefanski’s six-year stint in Cleveland when his tight end was either first or second on the team in targets, including 2025 when rookie Harold Fannin Jr. led the team with 107.
David Njoku had 97 targets in just 11 games in 2024, which was third best for the Browns overall. Njoku was also second in targets in 2023 with 123. And Austin Hooper was second on the team in targets in 2020 and 2021.
Stefanski will likely feature Pitts as much as possible, and he should be at least second on the team in targets behind Drake. It’s why I would consider drafting Pitts, as of now, as the No. 8 tight end off the board behind Trey McBride, Bowers, Colston Loveland, Fannin, Tyler Warren, Tucker Kraft and Sam LaPorta. And you can start to look for Pitts as early as Round 7 in all leagues.
There are still things to monitor for Pitts prior to the start of the season. Will he accept the franchise tag without an issue, or will he holdout in training camp? Who will be Atlanta’s starting quarterback in 2026? What other additions will be made to the roster, including the potential of another tight end being added?
We’ll see how this all shakes out over the next few months. For now, we’re glad Pitts is staying in Atlanta. Stefanski and Pitts should be a good pairing. And we know Ryan loves Pitts and will hopefully bring out the best in him once again.
With President Trump’s threat to attack Iran looming over the discussions, American and Iranian negotiators sat down again in Switzerland Thursday, separately, for another round of talks brokered by Oman, focusing on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
Iran says it does not have and will not build a nuclear weapon, and Mr. Trump has said he will not allow Tehran to acquire one — a position he shares with his recent predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
The Obama administration spent months negotiating an international deal to constrain and monitor Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. But during his first term, Mr. Trump attacked the pact as “horrible” and pulled the U.S. out. Since returning to the White House, Mr. Trump has threatened to strike Iran if it doesn’t make a new deal to curb its nuclear activities.
Despite warnings from many nations in the Middle East and elsewhere, including Iran, that any U.S. strike could spark a major international conflict, Mr. Trump has ordered the biggest American military buildup in the Middle East in decades, pressuring Tehran to make the deal he wants.
A photo shared by the Omani Foreign Ministry shows Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi (left) meeting with U.S. special envoys Steve Witkoff, center, and Jared Kushner for Omani-brokered talks on Iran’s nuclear program, in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2026.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman/Handout
Mr. Trump has given no indication about whether he’s decided to use force as the talks continue, so CBS News asked people with deep knowledge of Iran and the country’s hardline Islamic rulers to try to gauge the prospects of an agreement emerging from the talks to avert a war.
What Iran and the Trump administration have said
During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, Mr. Trump repeated his claim that the U.S. “obliterated Iran’s nuclear weapons program” with strikes in June — a claim the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency, the IAEA, has recently cast doubt on — and said despite his warnings, “they’re starting it all over. We wiped it out and they want to start it all over again and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister ambitions.”
The president has said repeatedly he prefers a diplomatic solution to the standoff but that he is prepared to use the U.S. military if he deems it necessary.
Mr. Trump claimed in his Tuesday remarks that Iran had never ruled out building a nuclear weapon, but the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, vowed not long before the U.S. leader spoke that Iran would “under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”
“We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests,” Araghchi said in a social media post, adding that a deal was “within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.”
A photo shared by the Foreign Ministry of Oman shows Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, right, during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, Feb. 25, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman/Handout
Araghchi insisted, however, on Iran’s right to “harness dividends of peaceful nuclear technology” — hinting at one of the major sticking points the negotiators in Geneva will need to work on.
While he didn’t reiterate the demand — pushed hard by Israel — in his State of the Union address, Mr. Trump has previously said any new nuclear agreement with Iran should include a full abandonment of all domestic uranium enrichment. That is something Tehran has said it cannot accept.
“Enrichment is our right,” Araghchi reiterated Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” noting that Iran is “a member of NPT [nuclear non-proliferation treaty] and we have every right to enjoy a peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment.”
Araghchi said he couldn’t predict whether President Trump intends to strike his country, but he told Brennan, “I believe that still there is a good chance to have a diplomatic solution, which is based on a win-win game,” calling a solution to the standoff “at our reach.”
“War looks inevitable,” says one Iran expert
Despite this public expression of optimism from Iran’s side, Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the Chatham House thinktank in London, believes the two sides are still too far apart. She told CBS News on Wednesday that, in her view, a military clash is inevitable, and soon.
“I think it’s imminent — I mean it’s a matter of days. War looks inevitable to me because President Trump has been not just assembling a huge arsenal to strike Iran, but also because President Trump has been clearly signaling that he is seeking the submission of the Islamic Republic to terms and conditions that currently the leaders in Iran don’t appear willing to make.”
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier arrives at Souda Bay off the island of Crete, Greece, Feb. 23, 2026.
Reuters/Stelios Misinas
“The main thing that Iran can give is a commitment to not enrich uranium above a certain grade inside Iran for a number of years,” said Vakil. “It’s worthwhile mentioning that Iran is already not enriching uranium and hasn’t been since the June war last summer when the United States pummeled Iran’s nuclear facilities and buried its enrichment program. So that is already de facto happening, and Iran can give that concession to President Trump.”
“But what Iran simultaneously seeks is an affirmation of its nuclear rights as a signatory of the non-proliferation treaty,” Vakil said. “Iran doesn’t want to be singled out. Iran wants to be treated like all the other signatories. And so what it is looking for is an ability to enrich uranium at very low levels for medical purposes. And that would be how they compromise on this principle.”
“I believe the maximum concessions that the ayatollahs can offer will not meet White House’s minimum requirements. Both sides have their red lines and it’s hard to see how a deal can be arrived at without one side making major concessions,” CBS News contributor Masih Alinejad, an Iranian-American journalist and activist, said ahead of the talks in Geneva.
She said there were rumors that the Trump administration might consider a deal that allows Iran to maintain “a token enrichment program, as a research facility,” for instance. But she notes that given Mr. Trump’s vehement criticism of the previous agreement negotiated by the Obama administration, he now “needs a much better deal.”
The nuances of Iran’s nuclear program were clearly a key aspect of the talks on Thursday, as the head of the U.N.’s IAEA again joined the delegations in Geneva.
Iran’s ballistic missiles “are also a big concern,” said Alinejad, referring to the huge number of conventional weapons Iranian leaders have threatened to aim at Israel and U.S. military installations across the Mideast if Mr. Trump does order strikes.
“A deal that leaves Islamic Republic’s nuclear enrichment facilities intact and allows them to keep their missiles would be viewed as a total failure,” she said.
The risks of a new “forever war”
Vakil said Iran was now in a much weaker position “than they have ever been,” given the damage inflicted on the country’s nuclear program by the U.S. in June, and on its allied “proxy groups” in the region by Israel during its war with Hamas.
But there are still major risks for Mr. Trump, because of fears new U.S. military action will trigger a regional war.
“If the U.S. attacks us, that’s an act of aggression. What we do in response is the act of self-defense,” Araghchi said before the talks. “And it is justifiable and legitimate. So, our missiles cannot hit the American soil, so obviously we have to do something else — we have to hit, you know, the Americans bases in the region.”
Women walk past a ballistic missile launch vehicle in Tehran, Iran, Feb. 11, 2026, during a rally marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
AFP/Getty
U.S. commanders have explained to a frustrated president, sources told CBS News this week, that there may well be no swift, easy military option to deliver a blow that will force Iran to capitulate to his demands. That means a protracted conflict may be inevitable if a first strike is carried out.
“I am worried that President Trump may have painted himself into a corner,” said Alinejad. “The U.S. military is without doubt capable of inflicting unparalleled damage on the Islamic Republic forces but what is the end result? What is the grand strategy here? This needs to be clarified. Any facility that is destroyed can be rebuilt and the military cannot stay in the Persian Gulf forever.”
Such a sustained military commitment could be a tough sell for the American public, especially given Mr. Trump’s own previous public disdain for drawn-out conflicts.
“He’s been opposed to ‘forever wars,’ and he’s been opposed to operations like the 2003 Iraq war. So, the Iranians are playing with that,” Vakil told CBS News, “in the hope that that could deter President Trump and entice him instead toward a deal.”
Overall, Vakil and Alinejad voiced serious doubt that the ongoing diplomacy will bridge the gap between the positions held by Tehran and Washington, and they both voiced significant concern about what that means for the Iranian people.
“The Islamic Republic is detested by the majority of Iranian people. But they need help to stand up against the regime’s revolutionary guards and other paramilitary units. I am hopeful that the U.S. attack will have a major impact,” said Alinejad.
“People are fed up and done with the Islamic Republic and deeply despise Iran’s supreme leader,” agreed Vakil, but she added: “There’s a lot of worry about what comes next. There’s no plan for the so-called day after. People do acknowledge that this is a regime that is much stronger and more willing to use coercive and brutal force. And over a longer period of time, there are concerns about Iran’s fragmentation, chaos, civil war, violence.”
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A former New Mexico congressman is in the spotlight as lawmakers evaluate his nomination for a high-ranking position in the Trump administration. Steve Pearce presented his case on Wednesday, seeking confirmation to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). However, another New Mexican voiced opposition to his nomination. The U.S. Senate […]
It has been widely reported that Brianna LaPaglia, aka Brianna Chickenfry, and Zach Bryan had quite the falling out after dating from 2023-2024.
Now, that falling-out has spawned a new feud between LaPaglia and Logan Paul.
Why is Brianna Chickenfry Beefing With Logan Paul?
LaPaglia was a guest on Paul’s podcast, Impaulsive. She says she asked Paul before the interview to kindly not mention Bryan — or their breakup and his alleged emotional abuse against her — during the interview.
Despite the request, Paul did bring up Bryan very early in the interview, and he also included the topic in the video’s title.
When Paul asked about Bryan and if the two might ever get along, LaPaglia said “He’s always the ops. Oh my gosh, he would hate you. Yes. He hated anything to do with podcasting, he thinks it’s so embarrassing, like, the worst thing ever. He would always make fun of my career.”
LaPaglia says her publicist was “seething” after the interview was wrapped.
LaPaglia then got on her own podcast, Plan Bri Uncut, went after Paul for ignoring her requests during their interview.
She said “I was like, ‘Alright, let’s get it all out of the way,’ which is fine. I know that people are going to ask about it, but at this point, I’ve said everything that I’m going to say. I’m not going to say anything new, and it’s not that interesting.”
“I don’t care to talk about it on other people’s podcasts,” LaPaglia continued. “if I want to talk about it on here with you guys, if I wanna talk about the relationship aspect of it, I will. But then, I go on there. I was like, ‘Alright, we talked about it for two minutes, get all your f–king questions about him out of the way.'”
But then afterwards, when the episode got released, LaPaglia saw that they titled the whole episode around her and Zach Bryan.
“But then they titled the f–king podcast that,” she goes on to say. “So that looks like I went on that podcast to talk about that when that was the one thing I was like ‘Hey, let’s not f–king talk about this.”
Do Interviewees Always Ask For Things to be Left Out of Conversation?
As someone who interviews artists and celebrities for living, I can tell you that some of them indeed do ask for things to not be brought up in conversation.
As a courtesy for the person lending you some of their time, you are supposed go along with their requests in good faith.
If you, as the interviewer, start ignoring everyone’s requests for things like that, word will get around and you will stop getting the interviews you once had.
LaPaglia admitted she still feels frustrated her request was ignored, and said her breaking with Bryan was “old news.”
Why Did Zach Bryan and Brianna Chickenfry Break Up?
When he announced their split, Bryan said he had an “incredibly hard year” and “thought it would be beneficial to both of us to go our different ways,” adding that he “failed people” who love him as well as himself.
If you ask LaPaglia, she says she was under intense emotional abuse during their time together.
She also said he was blindsided by him announcing their breakup so quickly, and that she “wanted to heal privately, and I didn’t even know that he was going to post that.”
The country singer confirmed their split in a post in Oct. 2024 — only one day after they broke up, per Chickenfry.
She’s since gone on to share many details about the behind-the-scenes of the split, and alleges that he offered her $12 million to sign an NDA promising not to talk about their relationship.
A Timeline of Zach Bryan + Brianna Chickenfry’s Breakup (+ Messy Aftermath)
From July 2023 to October 2024, Zach Bryan was dating Barstool Sports personality and podcaster Brianna Chickenfry.
For over a year, they seemed inseparable — until Bryan shocked fans by announcing that he and Chickenfry had split.
What followed was an onslaught of social media back-and-forth, allegations and text message screenshots in a feud that has lasted — as of summer 2025 — almost as long as their relationship.
Keep reading for a breakdown of everything that’s happened since the couple called it quits.
Zach Bryan Facts: 10 Things Country Fans Need to Know
Who is Zach Bryan? This list of facts about the country/rock/Americana singer tries to go deeper than basic age and hometown boilerplate. Learn about his parents, sister, relationships, love of the Eagles and Navy and more.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia wants more star players participating in All-Star Weekend events when Phoenix hosts the midseason showcase next year.
To help, Ishbia has offered to pay a $1 million prize to the winners of the 2027 slam dunk and 3-point contests, with another $1 million going to charity in each event.
“Let’s get the best guys in,” Ishbia said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he unveiled the idea. “Let’s make it awesome.”
The concept, however, would run into some red tape.
Officials from the NBA league office and players’ union told ESPN such a prize would not conform with the existing bonus structure.
Ishbia did not consult the league office before making the offer, sources said. But he is motivated to find a way to get more stars into the events.
The last time a current All-Star won the dunk contest was Blake Griffin in 2011. The Miami Heat‘s Keshad Johnson won this year’s event in Los Angeles. Damian Lillard, a nine-time All-Star, won his third 3-point contest in the past four years.
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia launched a barrage of 420 drones and 39 missiles at Ukraine overnight, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as U.S. and Ukrainian envoys prepared to hold more talks in Geneva on ending the war that is now in its fifth year.
The nighttime bombardment, which included 11 ballistic missiles, targeted critical infrastructure and residential areas across eight regions of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said. Dozens of people, including children, were injured, officials said, though authorities did not immediately publish a confirmed total.
Zelenskyy said late Wednesday he had spoken by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump and thanked him for his “efforts and engagement” in pursuing peace negotiations.
The U.S.-brokered talks between Moscow and Kyiv are continuing but are deadlocked on the issue of the future of Ukrainian territory that Russia claims as its own.
Trump representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were also discussing nuclear negotiations with Iran in Geneva before turning to the war in Europe, were due to meet with Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. They also joined Trump’s call with Zelenskyy.
Washington is looking to keep momentum in its yearlong push to stop the fighting and overcome deep enmity between the warring countries.
Ukrainian and European officials have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of feigning interest in peace negotiations, hoping to avoid punitive U.S. measures such as additional sanctions while pressing forward with the invasion.
Thursday’s talks between the American and Ukrainian envoys were to address details of a possible postwar recovery plan for Ukraine and discuss preparations for an upcoming trilateral meeting with Moscow officials, perhaps next week, according to Zelenskyy.
He said he has also tasked Umerov with discussing a possible prisoner exchange.
Russia returned 1,000 bodies of fallen soldiers to Ukraine, and got back 35 bodies of its fallen troops, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation at previous talks with Ukraine, said Thursday. He did not say when the exchange happened.
Russia struck gas infrastructure in the Poltava region and electrical substations in the Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, Zelenskyy said. Emergency crews responded in five other regions, as well as in the capital.
Ukraine’s air defenses shot down most of the Russian missiles, Zelenskyy said, crediting Western partners for timely delivery of additional air defense interceptors. Ukraine needs foreign help to sustain its fight against Russia’s bigger forces.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged allied countries to provide more military aid.
“When the whole world demands Moscow to finally stop this senseless war, Putin bets on more terror, attacks and aggression,” Sybiha said in a post on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
The Sandia National Laboratories plans to hold a controlled explosives test on Thursday, Feb. 26.The test has been planned to happen sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the south side of Kirtland Air Force Base.Some residents in Albuquerque could hear an explosion during the experiment. Black smoke and dust may also be visible. The test’s date and timing may change due to weather conditions, according to a Sandia Labs news release.Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
The Sandia National Laboratories plans to hold a controlled explosives test on Thursday, Feb. 26.
The test has been planned to happen sometime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the south side of Kirtland Air Force Base.
Some residents in Albuquerque could hear an explosion during the experiment. Black smoke and dust may also be visible.
The test’s date and timing may change due to weather conditions, according to a Sandia Labs news release.
Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
The Ex-Faces, a supergroup composed of former Mushroomhead members, are set to bring their high-octane tribute act on a six-week U.S. tour this summer.
Fans can expect a setlist spanning multiple eras of Mushroomhead, featuring performances from Waylon Reavis (vocals), Jason “J Mann” Popson (vocals), Dave “Gravy” Felton (guitars), Joe “Mr. Murdernickel” Kilcoyne (bass), Jack “Pig Benis” Kilcoyne (bass, select dates), Daniel “Lil’ Dan” Fox (drums), and Rick “St1tch” Thomas (samples/keyboards).
The band shared on February 24, “We have heard your voices and the message was eXtremely clear, so this summer we will be doing a 6 week tour across the U.S! Thank you all so much, this is all happening solely from the love and support you have shown. See you this summer!”
The tour kicks off on July 2 in Virginia Beach, VA at Scandals Live and wraps on August 15 at the Michigan Metal Fest in Battle Creek, MI.
Notable stops include Whisky-A-Go-Go in West Hollywood, CA, Trees in Dallas, TX, and Mercury Music Lounge in Lakewood, OH, where Pig Benis will make a special appearance. Fans can also catch him at select dates in Illinois, Michigan, and California. Get your tickets here.
7/2 Virginia Beach, VA Scandals Live 7/3 Greensboro, NC Hangar 1819 7/4 Spartanburg, SC Ground Zero 7/5 Wilmington, NC Reggies 7/8 Knoxville, TN Open Chord 7/9 Harrison, OH The Blue Note 7/10 Lakewood, OH Mercury Music Lounge (Pig Benis appearing) 7/12 Fort Wayne, IN Piere’s 7/15 Hamden, CT Space Ballroom 7/16 Reading, PA Reverb 7/17 Millersville, PA Phantom Power 7/18 Frenchtown, NJ Artie’s 7/19 Newark, DE Halftime 7/21 Nashville, TN Cannery Hall 7/23 Houston, TX Scout Bar 7/24 Dallas, TX Trees 7/25 Austin, TX Come & Take It Live 7/26 Tulsa, OK The Shrine 7/28 Glendale, AZ The 44 7/30 W. Hollywood, CA Whisky-A-Go-Go 7/31 Reno, NV Club Underground 8/1 Roseville, CA Goldfield Trading Post 8/2 Garden Grove, CA Garden Amp 8/4 Denver, CO The Federal Theatre 8/5 Colorado Springs, CO Sunshine Studios 8/7 McHenry, IL The Vixen (Pig Benis appearing) 8/8 New Berlin, IL Danenberger Family Vineyards (Pig Benis appearing) 8/9 Cadillac, MI The Venue (Pig Benis appearing) 8/14 Oakwood, IL Exit 210 Saloon (Pig Benis appearing) 8/15 Battle Creek, MI Michigan Metal Fest (Pig Benis appearing)
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