The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six outings. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, claimed his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws 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 primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally 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 possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 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 team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
