Was the Immaculate Reception a catch?
The case for ‘The Immaculate Reception’ Officials ultimately determined that the ball deflected off of hard-hitting Raiders safety Jack Tatum and into the arms of Harris following Bradshaw’s desperate fourth-and-10 heave, thus making the catch legal.
Did the ball hit Frenchy Fuqua?
With the Raiders leading 7-6 with 22 seconds left, quarterback Terry Bradshaw scrambled to his right on fourth down and fired a strike toward running back John “Frenchy” Fuqua. If it was Fuqua who touched it, then by NFL rules in 1972, the ball was dead and the game was over.
What do many Oakland Raiders fans still call the touchdown catch that cost them a 1972 playoff game victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
A Pittsburgh sports announcer called it “The Immaculate Reception”. Immediately after the play, one official signaled a touchdown.
Who threw the Immaculate Reception?
On December 23, 1972, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders, 13-7, on rookie running back Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception” touchdown in the waning seconds of a playoff game—one of the greatest plays in NFL history.
Was the immaculate reception in the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl 2020: Franco Harris’ ‘Immaculate Reception’ voted greatest moment in NFL history. The announcement was made during Fox’s Super Bowl, pregame show Sunday afternoon, The iconic play took place Dec. 23, 1972, at Three Rivers Stadium during the AFC divisional playoffs.
What was illegal about the Immaculate Reception?
1. Did the ball hit Steelers receiver Frenchy Fuqua or Raiders defensive back Jack Tatum. If it bounced off Fuqua without ever touching Tatum, then Harris’s reception was illegal. If the ball bounced off only Tatum, or if it bounced off both Fuqua and Tatum (in any order), then the reception was legal.
What year did the Immaculate Reception happen?
December 23, 1972
Immaculate Reception/Start dates
On this day in Steelers history, December 23, 1972, the Steelers defeat the Raiders on the final play of the game Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception”.
Was the Immaculate Reception in the Super Bowl?
What is the Immaculate Reception?
The Immaculate Reception was the game winning touchdown reception that has since gone on to be known as one of the most famous plays in the history of American football. It occurred in the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, on December 23, 1972.
How did the Immaculate Reception affect the Steelers-Raiders rivalry?
The Immaculate Reception spawned a heated rivalry between the Steelers and Raiders, a rivalry that was at its peak during the 1970s, when both teams were among the best in the league and both were known for their hard-hitting, physical play. The teams met in the playoffs in each of the next four seasons,…
What is the origin of the play ‘the Immaculate Conception’?
The play’s name is a pun derived from the Immaculate Conception, a dogma in the Roman Catholic Church. The phrase was first used on air by Myron Cope, a Pittsburgh sportscaster who was reporting on the Steelers’ victory. A Pittsburgh woman, Sharon Levosky, called Cope before his 11 PM sports broadcast on…
Why did the Steelers call it the Immaculate Conception?
The play was a turning point for the Steelers, who reversed four decades of futility with their first playoff win ever, and went on to win four Super Bowls by the end of the 1970s. The play’s name is a pun derived from the Immaculate Conception, a dogma in the Roman Catholic Church.