Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six games. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting 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 32nd final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
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 will face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
