Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes 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 rally of his illustrious 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 left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 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 will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
