Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning 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 initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-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 illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured 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 a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
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 two of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
