The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning 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 3 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This includes consecutive home defeats in the span of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage 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 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 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 2 of their final four games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason spot.
