Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
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 signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws 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 touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Ramifications
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 are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
