Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late 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 8th tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing five of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home defeats in the span of five days to two division opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight 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 rally of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
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 are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off spot.
