Kyle Pitts has now recorded 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 scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged 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.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting 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 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 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 will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
