Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
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 3 contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting 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 thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured 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 10-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and receiver 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 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off berth.
