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 mounted a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the year 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 3 games left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, claimed his first two scores.
The home team 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 making his fourth straight 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 illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery 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 game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason berth.
