Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 triumph 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 league history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year 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 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six games. This includes consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final quarter after QB 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 then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout 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 amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
