Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They now hold 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 division rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Summary
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 game with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in 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 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
