Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single score all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring 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 veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason spot.
