Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win 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 more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-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 distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position 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 scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory 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 two of their last four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
