Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores 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 mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the season 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 three contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his first two touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout 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 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset 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 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
