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 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting 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 left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score 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 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.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 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 will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
