Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season 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 record after suffering five of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of play-off 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 came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one score all year, claimed his first two touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven receptions.
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 sit atop 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.
