Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning 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 3 contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score 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 first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
