The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, 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 now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six outings. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of postseason contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 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 are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
