The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight 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 final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed 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 touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off spot.
