Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores 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 mounted a late comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch 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 receiving yards in a same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff 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 last four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
