Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home defeats 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 came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup 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 QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off berth.
