Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Stunning Comeback Win Over Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After beginning the season 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 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a season-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.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason 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 are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
