Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six games. This features consecutive home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason spot.
