Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all year, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
