Kyle Pitts Hat-Trick Fuels Falcons Remarkable Comeback Victory Over Buccaneers.
Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After beginning the year 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 games left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six games. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of five days to two division opponents who are out of postseason the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws 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 illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill 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 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
