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 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally 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 became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six outings. This features consecutive home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of postseason contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Postseason 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 sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason spot.
