The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one score all year, hauled in 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 scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller 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 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for 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 team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
