The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After starting the season 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 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six games. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd final period comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Postseason Implications
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 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
