The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home losses in the space of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their last four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off berth.
