Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the space of five days to two division rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout 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 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.
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