The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six outings. This includes consecutive home losses in the span of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Contest Summary
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 entered Thursday's game with just one score all season, claimed his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery 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 drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Postseason 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 2 of their final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
