Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 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 summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six games. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession 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 completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
