In a game that will be remembered as one of the most thrilling divisional clashes in recent NFC South history, the Atlanta Falcons rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28 on Thursday Night Football.

The hero of the night? None other than tight end Kyle Pitts, who delivered a historic performance that single-handedly kept the Falcons in the fight and propelled them to victory.

Kyle Putts Explodes With Banner Night

Pitts finished with career highs across the board: 11 receptions on 12 targets for 166 yards and 3 touchdowns.

It was the first three-TD game of his five-year NFL career and marked the first time a tight end has posted 150+ receiving yards and 3+ touchdowns in a single game since Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe did it in 1996.

With star wideout Drake London sidelined for the fourth straight game, Pitts stepped into the spotlight and dominated the Buccaneers’ secondary from the opening drive.

He hauled in touchdown catches of 8, 17, and 7 yards from quarterback Kirk Cousins, including a leaping, acrobatic grab in the fourth quarter that pulled Atlanta within 28-26.

“This is who Kyle Pitts is right here,” running back Bijan Robinson said postgame. Cousins, who threw for 373 yards and all three scores to Pitts, added: “Kyle is our guy.”

The Falcons overcame a franchise-record 19 penalties and trailed 28-14 early in the fourth before mounting the comeback.

Falcons Head Coach Raheem Morris said this after the game:

“It’s a really good football game, well fought by the team. Couldn’t be more proud of how those guys stayed resilient throughout the course of the game, and they found a way to win tonight. That’s what we’ve been talking about all year, you know, seeing us make big-time plays when they were required. It was a lot of fun watching those guys both compete.”

Third and 28

A key third-and-28 conversion to Pitts on the final drive helped set up Zane Gonzalez’s game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired.

While the win doesn’t salvage Atlanta’s playoff hopes (the Falcons sit at 5-9), it was a statement performance from Pitts, a pending free agent who reminded everyone why he was selected No. 4 overall in 2021. Against a Bucs defense he’s tormented in recent matchups, Pitts looked unstoppable.

For Falcons fans, nights like this are a glimpse of what could have been — and perhaps what still could be. Pitts’ monster outing not only spoiled Tampa Bay’s division lead (dropping the Bucs to 7-7, half a game behind Carolina) but reaffirmed his elite talent on a national stage.

Final Word

Up next, the Falcons head to Arizona for Week 16. If Pitts carries this momentum forward, the final games of 2025 could be must-watch for Dirty Bird Nation. Rise Up!