Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial 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 season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six outings. This features consecutive home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.
