The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six games. This features back-to-back home losses in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
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 2 of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
