The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
