Kyle Pitts has now scored 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 touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their last six games. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one touchdown all season, claimed his first two scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 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 two of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off berth.
