Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes 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 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. 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 recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is assured a postseason spot.
