Anyway you look at it, it has been a disappointing season for the Atlanta Falcons. At five wins and nine losses, the Falcons were expected to be a stronger team in 2025. However, on Thursday night we saw greatness from Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Pitts Sr. simply had the best game of his National Football League career in a 29-28 Falcons win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had career game highs in receptions (11), receiving yards (166), and touchdowns (three). Pitts Sr. developed outstanding chemistry all evening long with Falcons veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins of Barrington, Illinois.
Pitts Sr.’s first touchdown was for eight yards and tied the game at seven with two minutes and 49 seconds into the first quarter. Pitts Sr.’s second touchdown was for 17 yards with 38 seconds left in the first half and put the Falcons up 14-10. Pitts Sr. then had a seven yard touchdown catch with three minutes and 34 seconds left. It pulled the Falcons within two points. Falcons kicker Zane Gonzalez of Deer Park, Texas then won the game with a 43 yard field goal with no time left on the clock.
In 2025, Pitts Sr. has 73 catches for 797 receiving yards and four touchdowns. The only other time Pitts Sr. had a multi-touchdown game was also against Tampa Bay. On October 27, 2024, Pitts Sr. had two touchdowns in a 31-26 Falcons victory.
With the Atlanta win, the Carolina Panthers move into first place in the NFC South. In what could be considered the NFL’s weakest division, the Panthers are 7-6.
