Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Fightback Win Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores 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 dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, claimed his first two scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.