FRANCO TO THE RESCUE The Pittsburgh Steelers were in serious trouble The Oakland Raiders had taken a 7 6 lead with just over a minute to go in their 1972 playoff game The Steelers got the ball back for one last shot They needed a miracle Running back Franco Harris provided one Pittsburgh had the ball at its own 40 yard line with 22 seconds left It was fourth down Quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw the ball downfield Raiders safety Jack Tatum smashed into Steelers running back John Fuqua as the pass arrived The ball fluttered toward the ground near Oakland's 40 yard line
An official watches as Steelers running back Franco Harris far right barely catches a deflected pass before it hits the turf
Then it happened Out of nowhere Harris scooped up the ball just before it fell incomplete He then outraced the Raiders to the end zone Steelers fans in Three Rivers Stadium erupted while the officials tried to determine if the play was legal Under the rules at the time if the ball had touched Fuqua last Harris's catch would have been illegal The officials ruled the ball had bounced off Tatum last The touchdown counted The Steelers had pulled out a 13 7 victory thanks to one of the most famous plays in National Football League NFL history It became known as The Immaculate Reception It was the perfect ending for the Steelers and the start of an era of success no team has matched FAST FACT The win over the Raiders was the Steelers first playoff victory in their 40 year history
Franco Harris outruns Oakland's Jimmy Warren as he dashes to the end zone with the winning touchdown in Pittsburgh's 1972 playoff victory
