Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Powers Falcons Remarkable Comeback Victory Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league 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 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 losing five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division opponents who are out of play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, claimed his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws 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 proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished career.
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 remaining.
And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed key 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 finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset 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 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
