The star tight end has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting 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 three games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home-field defeats in the span of five days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran 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 proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key throws 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 throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Postseason Implications
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 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
