Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Powers Falcons Remarkable Fightback Victory Against Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen 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 suffering 5 of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Contest 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 game with just a single score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws 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 then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
