Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout 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 receiving 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 lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
