The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve 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 top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of postseason contention.
Game Summary
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 matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
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 last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
