The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw 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 proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his illustrious career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
