The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns 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 mounted a late comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After beginning 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 three contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home defeats in the span of five days to two divisional 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 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
