On this day in 1972 -the greatest play in NFL history occurred-Franco Harris’ Immaculate Reception.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now regarded as one of the great franchises in the history of the National Football League. 40 years ago they were the laughingstock of the league. In their 40 year history up until that point they had never won a single playoff game. Not one. In 1969 the Rooney’s hired an assistant coach from the Baltimore Colts Chuck Noll as head coach and the culture of the Pittsburgh Steelers changed forever. In 1969 they won their first game and then lost the remaining 13 games in the season. But Noll knew what he was doing and in year 4 under the Emperor Chas they made the playoffs.

Their opponent in the first round of the playoffs were the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers and Raiders rivalry would become the most intense rivalry in the league in the 1970’s- and that rivalry was born on this day -December 23rd, 1972.

The game was played at Three Rivers Stadium before 50,357 fans. The game was a defensive struggle. The Steelers led 6-0 late into the fourth quarter when Raiders quarterback Kenny ‘The Snake” Stabler ran for a 30 yard touchdown with 1:17 left in the game putting the Raiders ahead 7-6.

I was a 12 year old Steelers fan. I was listening to the game on the radio. I had no choice. At that time local home games were blacked out on local television. I was in my room listening to the game. I remember my father was watching another game downstairs. I don’t know who was playing in that one.

It didn’t look very good for the Steelers at this point. Things in the NFL were not like they are today. Today teams march up and down the field rapidly. 1:12 is a lifetime in today’s NFL. Back then 1:12 didn’t seem like a lot of time to have to score. But the Steelers only needed a field goal to win. {but kickers back then were not as accurate as they are today}

With .22 seconds left the Steelers faced a 4th and 10 at their own 40 yard line with no time outs left. The Steelers called a pass play ’66 Circle Option” a pass that would be intended for receiver Barry Pearson. The Steelers quarterback was Terry Bradshaw-who was not yet “Terry Bradshaw” but a 3rd year player who had his struggles. Bradshaw dropped back and came under pressure from Raiders linemen Tony Cline and Horace Jones. Bradshaw was able to avoid the Raiders linemen and threw the ball down to the 35 yard line towards the colorful Steelers running back Frenchy Fuqua. Fuqua and Raiders safety Jack  “The Assassin” Tatum collided just as the ball arrived. The ball went sailing  backwards end over end. Steelers running back Franco Harris who was enjoying a sensational rookie season was running down field after initially blocking on the play-just in case Bradshaw needed another receiver. The ball hit Fuqua/Tatum and ricochet to Harris who scooped the ball up just before it hit the ground. Harris ran past Raiders linebackers Gerald Irons and Steelers tight end John McMakin blocked linebacker Phil Villapiano. Harris stiff armed defensive back Jimmy Warren and went into the end zone for a touchdown. The Steelers win 13-7.

There has always been controversy over this play. Back then there was a rule that the ball could not touch two offensive players in a row without a defensive player also touching it. If the ball just touched Fuqua and then went to Harris the play would have been illegal. The games referee Fred Swearingen got on the phone and called up to the booth where supervisor of officials Art McNally was. McNally said  “We got a touchdown”

My personal memory is when Franco scored – I let out such a loud yell that my father thought something terrible had happened to me. I came bolting downstairs and just moments later they were reporting what had happened on television.

The next morning they showed a replay of the game on local television. Of course I knew what happened but I had to watch it. I never get tired of watching that play.

In my nearly 50 years as a sports fan the 2 spors moments I have seen the most are -Bill Mazeroski’s home run that beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series and Franco’s Immaculate Reception. I have seen these hundreds of times. I still can’t tell if the ball hit Fuqua, or hit Fuqua and Tatum, or hit both of them at the same time.

The Steelers won and went on to the AFC Championship game where they nearly beat the unbeaten Miami Dolphins.

This one play thought changed everything in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Steelers football would never be the same. 2 years later they won their first of six Super Bowl titles.

In the Steelers  first 40 years they won NO playoff games at all. They didn’t even play in a playoff games. In the last 40 years they have won 33 playoff games[and played in 54} went to eight Super Bowls and won six.

Franco’s Immaculate Reception is how it is now known. Steelers announcer Myron Cope [inventor of The Terrible Towel} got a phone call from a Steelers fan who suggested it, Myron went with it. The play was named by the NFL as the greatest play in the history of the league. I have seen thousands of games over the years and I’ve never seen a play like it. It was a miracle.

At the Pittsburgh International Airport there are two statues, One of George Washington, the other is of Franco Harris making his catch.