The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six games. This features back-to-back home losses in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive 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 final period comeback of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained 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 crucial throws 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 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff 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 assured a play-off spot.
