The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
