The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
