The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the season 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 contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This includes consecutive home defeats in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB 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 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off spot.
