Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home losses in the space of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of postseason contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made 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 ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
