Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted 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 yards through the air in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing five of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one score all season, claimed 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 passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. 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 recovering his own fumble 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 drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
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 four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
