The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning 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 record after suffering 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown throws 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 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset 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 last four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
