The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 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 two of their final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
