Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their last six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started 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 one touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
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 two of their last 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
