Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This includes consecutive home losses in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final quarter after QB 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.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 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 are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason berth.
