The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six outings. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all season, claimed his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
