Kyle Pitts Has 3-TD Game to Lead Falcons Over Bucs

Pitts had a career high 166 yards and 3 scores in Atlanta’s 29–28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kyle Pitts Sr. #8 of the Atlanta Falcons scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 11, 2025. Mike Ehrmann /Getty Images

Kyle Pitts’s career game earned plaudits from his Atlanta Falcons teammates.

Pitts led the Falcons with 11 receptions, 166 receiving yard,s and three touchdowns, elevating them to a last-second 29–28 win over the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His teammates praised him for making the most of the opportunities he was given.

“That’s great,” Pitts said at his postgame press conference. “[I] love scoring, love contributing to this offense and this team, and I’m glad [I] helped enough get a win.”

Head coach Raheem Morris said the team schemed up more opportunities for Pitts because they were without wide receiver Drake London, the team’s leading pass catcher. Morris said Pitts made the most of his opportunities in ways he had not in previous weeks.

“Kyle continues to just be a great talent when it comes to his ability to separate and run, and obviously he’s a big frame,” quarterback Kirk Cousins said after the game. “[Offensive coordinator] Zac [Robinson] did a great job designing—especially on a short week—designing ways to get Kyle opportunities, and we were able to take advantage of him.”

Pitts found the end zone for the first time early in the second quarter. After motion caused confusion by the Bucs defense, Cousins found Pitts on a short drag route underneath, and he sprinted to the end zone untouched. At the end of the first half, Cousins found Pitts again on a fade route at the front pylon for his second score.

His third touchdown was a controversial call late in the fourth quarter: Pitts ran another fade route and juggled the ball in the end zone; his right butt cheek was down in bounds, but his right elbow was out of bounds at the same time. The replay booth upheld it, giving him the hat trick.

“I definitely thought I got that second foot down,” Pitts recounted. “I didn’t know it was my cheek, but that helped a lot.”

Besides the three TDs, Pitts had a number of big plays in key situations. At the end of the first quarter, Cousins found Pitts on a crossing route, which he took for a 25-yard gain. His second-quarter touchdown was set up by a long completion on the previous play; Pitts ran an out-and-up route, shaking off coverage by Tampa Bay safety Christian Izien for 37 yards. Early in the fourth quarter on third and two, Pitts turned an outlet pass into a 20-yard gain. He converted another 3rd down midway through the fourth quarter when he climbed the ladder over cornerback Jacob Parrish. And on the game-winning drive, Pitts was the outlet on a third and 28 and gained 14 yards to set up a critical conversion on fouth and 14.

Cousins said he should have fed the ball to Pitts even more than he did.

“There’s even a couple, if you go back and watch the tape, where I could have pushed it down the field to Kyle more [but I] couldn’t really see it, so I checked it down,” he said. “I think there was a lot of production tonight but probably even more out there.”

Pitts gave credit to Cousins in turn for giving him those opportunities.

“Just Kirk trusting me, and me trying to win my iso’s,” Pitts said, noting that his coaches and Cousins both emphasized winning his one-on-ones in practice during the week.

In the last three games, Pitts has amassed 338 yards. He attributed the success to winning his one-on-one matchups to build trust with his quarterback.

Throughout his career, the former Florida Gators superstar has had some of his best games against the Buccaneers, as running back Bijan Robinson noted.

“I guess when he’s in Florida, like he just smells some Florida air and that boy goes to work, balls out,” he said. “It was very encouraging, very cool, amazing to see him just ball out, have fun, be free, and, you know, that’s the Kyle Pitts we all know and love.”

Pitts was drafted fourth overall by the Falcons out of Florida in the 2021 NFL Draft. A raw physical specimen at 6'6” and 245 pounds with a 4.4 second 40-yard dash, Pitts showed promise with a 1,000-yard rookie season that earned him a Pro Bowl appearance; but his production declined over the following years. He has had something of a career resurgence this season, with 73 catches for 797 yards and 4 TDs.