Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six outings. This includes consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position 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 amassed 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory 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 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
