Kyle Pitts has now scored 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 mounted a dramatic rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two division rivals who are out of postseason the race.
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter 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 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 subsequently won back possession with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position 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 yards from eleven catches.
Atlanta improved to 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 final 4 games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason berth.
Eva de Vries is a passionate book lover and local writer from Eindhoven.
