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 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After starting 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 three contests left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 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 final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
