Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory 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 NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their last six games. This includes consecutive home-field losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-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 illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
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 will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.
