Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering 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 out of postseason the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single score all year, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset 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 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
