Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Falcons Stunning Fightback Victory Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown 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 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball 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 infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
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 will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
