Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same 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 three games left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened 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 a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 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 four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
