The Immaculate Reception: The story behind one of the most legendary plays of the NFL

On December 23, 1972, Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris was the protagonist of one of the most memorable moments in the history of the team and the whole NFL.

On December 23, 1972, the Steelers were losing 6 to 7 in a game against the then-Oakland Raiders. With 22 seconds left to play in the last quarter, Steelers Quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a desperate pass to Frenchy Fuqua.

Fuqua tried to catch the ball, but he was slammed by Raiders safety Jack ‘The Assassin’ Tatum. The ball bounced off Fuqua’s helmet, where Harris managed to catch it.

Harris then ran some 40 years to score the winning touchdown of one of the most memorable moments of NFL history.

The running back went on to win four Super Bowls, becoming Super Bowl MVP on one occasion, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

However, it was the “Immaculate Reception” which marked a before and after in the life of Franco Harris and the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mike Tomlin, the current Steelers head coach, stated on the NFL website that the Immaculate Reception was “the most significant play in the history of the game”.

On the 40th anniversary of the play, the Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled a monument on the spot where the Immaculate Reception took place on the ground where the Three Rivers Stadium once stood.

Another Steeler legend, Terry Bradshaw, stated after his former teammate's demise that he was “seriously a good guy” and that “success never changed him”.

The Rooney Family, owners of the Steelers, stated that “Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. He never stopped giving back in so many ways. He touched so many, and he was loved by so many.”

US President Barack Obama also paid his respects to Harris, calling him “an extraordinary man”.

Joe Biden claims to have been a friend of Harris for years and recalls how Franco Harris and other Pittsburgh Steelers visited his sons at the hospital after the car accident that claimed the life of Biden's first wife. All of this just days after the Immaculate Conception.

Harris passed away just a few days before the 50th anniversary of the ‘Immaculate Reception’.
He was meant to attend a ceremony on December 23, where after a game against Las Vegas Raiders his jersey number, 32, was going to be retired.

His demise has been reported as sudden. The former running back was active on social media and was seen the day before at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh talking with fans.

This was the third time a jersey number has been retired in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The other two that have had that honor are Ernie Stautner and Mean Joe Greene, pictured here in a 2018 event with Harris.

However, the biggest tribute to Franco Harris is the love and admiration from the Steeler Nation everywhere, which will keep his memory alive for years to come.