The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six outings. This includes consecutive home losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball 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 10-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Postseason 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 four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
