Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six outings. This features consecutive home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one 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 QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
