The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
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 three games remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop 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 spot.
