The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This includes consecutive home defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring 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 primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset 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 two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
