Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two division rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
