Jordan Reyes on WACN 21 News

Kyle Pitts is back. The Falcons finally have a tight end worth building around.

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

For about 18 months, Kyle Pitts was the most-discussed tight end in the NFL and not for reasons the Falcons wanted.

A contract standoff. A question about whether he was a true #1. A 2025 season in which he put up respectable numbers but never felt like the player Atlanta mortgaged its 2021 first-round pick to get.

Through three days of training camp at Flowery Branch, that player is back.

Hawks trade for All-Star guard, reshape backcourt for 2026-27

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The Atlanta Hawks pulled off the biggest trade of the NBA’s early offseason Tuesday night, acquiring an All-Star point guard from the Indiana Pacers in a deal that sends two future first-round picks and a young wing to Indianapolis.

The move is a clear signal: the Hawks are all-in on the Trae Young window, and they think they need a second star to make it work.

What’s in the deal

Hawks get: A 25-year-old point guard, fresh off his first All-Star selection, plus a 2027 second-round pick
Pacers get: Two future first-round picks (2027 and 2029, both lightly protected), a 22-year-old wing who showed real promise as a rookie, and a $6.8 million traded-player exception

The Hawks’ 2027 first-rounder is top-8 protected, converting to a 2028 second-rounder if it doesn’t convey. The 2029 first is top-5 protected. Indiana gets significant long-term upside, but Atlanta is the team trying to win now.

Braves pitching staff quietly becomes one of MLB's best, despite trade-deadline doubts

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:00:00 -0400

For most of April, the question around the Atlanta Braves was whether the rotation would hold together long enough for the team to make a serious run.

Through April 28, Braves starters had a 5.12 ERA — third-worst in the National League. The bullpen was no better. The team’s World Series odds, per FanGraphs, had dipped to 8.4 percent.

Six weeks later, those numbers look almost quaint.

Since May 1, Braves pitchers lead the National League in:

Mercedes-Benz Stadium gets $200M renovation: what fans will see in 2027

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is getting another top-to-bottom renovation.

Team owner Arthur Blank has approved a $200 million capital project covering most of the fan-facing areas of the 9-year-old venue. The work will be done in two offseasons — this winter and next — so neither the Atlanta Falcons nor Atlanta United have to play a home game outside the building.

The project is Blank’s third major capital infusion into MBS, on top of the original $1.5 billion construction and a $55 million concourse overhaul in 2022.

Atlanta's high school football scene is quietly having its best season in a decade

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Metro Atlanta high school football is having a moment.

Three teams from the metro are ranked in the MaxPreps top 25 going into the 2026 fall season — Buford, Grayson, and Westlake — the most the metro has had in any year since 2014.

It’s a notable result for a metro that, despite producing a steady stream of NFL talent, has rarely had multiple teams competing at the national level in the same season.

Atlanta United's Five Stripes to become Five Stripes FC in brand refresh

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:00 -0400

Atlanta United is getting a new name — and it’s a bigger change than the club has made in its 9-year history.

Starting with the 2027 season, the club will officially be known as Five Stripes FC, dropping “Atlanta” from the front of its name and adopting a new crest, new kit, and a brand-new visual identity. The change was confirmed by the club’s front office on Tuesday.

The move is being framed by the club as an evolution, not a rebrand, but the visible changes are large. The crest — designed by the club’s in-house creative team with input from supporters’ groups — retains the iconic five gold stripes on a black field, but the shape, typography, and details are all new.