Kyle Pitts picked the perfect time to remind the NFL world why he was once a top-five draft pick. In a dramatic 29-28 comeback win over the Buccaneers on Thursday night, the Falcons tight end delivered the kind of performance that turns heads-and rewrites the record books.
Pitts hauled in 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns, putting together a stat line that hasn’t been seen in nearly three decades. To put that in perspective, he’s the first tight end to post at least 150 receiving yards and three scores in a single game since Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe did it back in 1996.
That’s elite company. According to ESPN research, only Kellen Winslow Sr., Todd Christensen, and Rich Caster have ever pulled off the same feat since the AFL-NFL merger.
But this wasn’t just a numbers game-it was a night where Pitts delivered in the clutch, and the Falcons needed every bit of it.
His third touchdown was the kind of play that gets replayed all weekend. As he tumbled toward the sideline, Pitts managed to keep control of the ball while falling backward.
The officials ruled it a touchdown on the field, and after a lengthy review-one that hinged on whether his backside hit the end zone before his elbow touched out of bounds-the call stood. That score brought Atlanta within two points in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for the eventual comeback.
“I definitely thought I got the second foot down,” Pitts said after the game. “I didn’t know it was my cheek.”
That quote pretty much sums up the kind of night it was for Pitts-highlight-reel plays, a bit of improvisation, and a reminder of just how physically gifted he is. Falcons fans have been waiting for this version of Kyle Pitts to show up consistently since the team took him fourth overall in 2021. While flashes have come and gone, sustained dominance has been elusive.
Thursday night, though, was a different story. Pitts looked like the mismatch nightmare he was always projected to be-too fast for linebackers, too big for defensive backs, and too skilled to be left alone in space.
With free agency looming this offseason, this kind of breakout performance couldn’t have come at a better time. Whether it’s Atlanta or another team, someone’s going to pay for what Pitts showed he can be at his best: a game-changing tight end capable of taking over on any given night.
If this is the version of Kyle Pitts that shows up down the stretch, the Falcons’ offense becomes a whole lot more dangerous-and Pitts’ market value might just skyrocket.