The star tight end has now recorded 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 scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as 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 top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their last six games. This features back-to-back home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason 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 entered Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight 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 fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory 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 2 of their last 4 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off berth.
