Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit 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 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all year, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
