Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
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, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged 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.
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 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback 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 under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get 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 throws to Pitts, who collected 166 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 lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off berth.
