Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 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 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset 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 final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
