Pitts Hat-Trick Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Fightback Victory Over Buccaneers.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, 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 same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the span of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback 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 final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
