The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of five days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened 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 one score all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring 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 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 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 last 4 matchups. Only the division winner is assured a postseason berth.
