Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive 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 fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for 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 team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
