Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Falcons Remarkable Fightback Win Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three touchdown catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one score all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led 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 possession with under two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 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 final four games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
