The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead 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 straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found 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 third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
