The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered 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 fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
