The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six games. This features consecutive home defeats in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Game Recap
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 entered Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Postseason Implications
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 2 of their last 4 games. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.
