The Immaculate Reception
The Immaculate Reception is one of the greatest plays in NFL Playoff History. When the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Oakland Raiders in an AFC divisional playoff game on December 3, 1972, they had a long history of failure in the NFL. The Steelers had never won a postseason game up to that point. The drought appeared to be continuing in the fourth quarter. Late in the third quarter, the Raiders led 7-6. With 30 seconds remained in regulation, Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw completed a deep pass to receiver John Fuqua. What happened next is still debatable. The ball either struck Fuqua's helmet, his hands, or Raiders safety John Tatum's hands. It bounced backwards, going for the earth. Franco Harris, the Steelers' running back, received the ball and sprinted to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. It became known as the Immaculate Reception.
On December 3, 1972, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Oakland Raiders in an AFC divisional playoff game. At the time, the Steelers had never won a playoff game. The drought appeared to be continuing into the fourth quarter. Late in the quarter, the Raiders lead 7-6. With 30 seconds remaining in regulation, Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw completed a deep throw to receiver John Fuqua. What happened next is still debated. The ball either struck Fuqua's helmet, his hands, or the hands of Raiders safety John Tatum. It ricocheted backwards, aiming for the earth. Steelers running back Franco Harris received the ball and sprinted to the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
Date: December 23, 1972
Venue: Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh
