Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Fightback Victory Against Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home losses in the span of five 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 followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout 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 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their final four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
