Pitts Hat-Trick Powers Falcons Remarkable Fightback Victory Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
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 3 contests left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home losses in the span of five days to two division opponents who are eliminated from postseason contention.
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 one touchdown all year, hauled in his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight 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 career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff 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 are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a postseason spot.
