Kyle Pitts Hat-Trick Fuels Falcons Stunning Fightback Win Against Tampa Bay.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home-field losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened 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 touchdown all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-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 illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
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 four games. Only the division winner is assured a postseason berth.
