The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single score all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
