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Kyle Pitts’s Historic Game vs. Bucs Had NFL Fans All Saying the Same Thing
Fantasy football managers rejoice: The Kyle Pitts that was promised finally arrived Thursday night.
Pitts, the No. 4 pick of the 2021 draft, started his career in Atlanta with big expectations. Standing 6’6” and weighing 250 pounds with a wide receiver skill set, Pitts was supposed to be the next big thing. He had a fantastic rookie season, catching 68 passes for 1,026 yards, but since then, Pitts has been looked at as largely a bust—especially in the fantasy football community.
But during a Thursday Night Football matchup between the Falcons and Buccaneers, a game that started the fantasy football playoffs in most leagues, Pitts put together the best performance of his career.
In the first half alone, Pitts logged six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns—the most yards he’s ever gained in a single half. He ended the game with 11 catches for a career-high 166 yards and three touchdowns. It marked his fourth career game with 100+ receiving yards—the first since his standout rookie season—and it tripled the amount of touchdowns he’d scored this season entering Week 15.
Pitts also became just the eighth tight end in NFL history to notch 150+ receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game, and the first since Shannon Sharpe in 1996.
A fantasy league winner ... out of nowhere.
NFL fans on the internet all said the same thing about Pitts: “Finally.”
Kyle Pitts managers after he finally breaks out in year 5: pic.twitter.com/RIS6lwCr0y
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) December 12, 2025
on a random Thursday at the end of a lost season in his 5th year, the fantasy community finally got That Kyle Pitts Game
— Dave Helman (@davehelman_) December 12, 2025
Drafting Kyle Pitts every year for him to finally break out in 2025 pic.twitter.com/2tUfxiVdIp
— GhettoGronk (@GhettoGronk) December 12, 2025
Remember where you were for the Kyle pitts legacy game tonight
— Thatboi_11 (@daddy_shaker) December 11, 2025
Realizing you’re playing against Kyle Pitts in the first round of playoffs pic.twitter.com/gNu9i0j4IV
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) December 12, 2025
the kyle pitts that showed up tonight pic.twitter.com/B1a4SQMyww
— PrizePicks (@PrizePicks) December 12, 2025
I never stopped believing in Kyle Pitts.
— Fusue (@DevyEusuf) December 12, 2025
Do you remember the Kyle Pitts game on Thursday night, December 11th, 2025. pic.twitter.com/LX0ysJvcGQ
— Kyle Pitts Sr (@kirko_1103) December 11, 2025
kyle pitts pic.twitter.com/2WSkrnYnJC
— 💫 (@NewMediaSports_) December 12, 2025
We never stopped believing, Kyle Pitts.
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Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.