Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, claimed his first two scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-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 NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 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 last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
