The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top 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 losing 5 of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and receiver 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 scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
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 final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
