The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch 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 over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
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 first time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home losses in the span of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran 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 thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill 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 eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 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 will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
