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 notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all season, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes 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 finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason spot.
