9781422284223

GREATEST MOMENTS The Immaculate Reception

Entering the 1972 Divisional Playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers had never won a playoff game. A play in their game against Oakland changed that—and the fortunes of the franchise, and of the NFL, forever.

The Steelers trailed the Raiders 7-6 with just 22 seconds remaining in the game. On a fourth-down play, Steeler quarterback (QB) Terry Bradshaw tossed the ball in the direction of halfback John Fuqua at the Raider 35- yard line. Raider safety Jack Tatum closed to make a play on the ball as it approached Fuqua. The two players collided, and the ball deflected in the direction of Steeler running back Franco Harris, who reached down and is ruled to have made a fingertip catch off his shoestrings, barely an inch off of the ground. Harris ran it all the way into the Raider end zone, and the Steelers won the game 13-7.

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