Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a last-gasp 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 more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home-field losses in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Game Recap
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 entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged 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 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
