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 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd final period comeback of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory 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 team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
