Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering five of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
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 wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
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 two of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
