The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six games. This includes consecutive home-field losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single score all year, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after QB 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 season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led 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 secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven 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 lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
