RIP Franco Harris and John Madden. I still get chills watching it 50 years later.

I could listen to Villipiano describe this all day. He was hilarious...

I was born in Pittsburgh and it's a moment I will never forget and it's as clear in my head now as it was then. I was 15 and my dad had season tickets that year and the next year. We went to every home game that year (of course) and I believe the price of a ticket was around $7.50. Boy have times changed! We sat on the visitor's side, 4 rows up from the field and on the 35-yard line near one of the dugouts. I remember it was a boring game offensively but a great defensive battle. I believe it was 0-0 at half-time. The reason you see the enormous explosion of emotion after Franco's catch and TD that sealed the victory was two-fold. One, the Steelers finished the season 11-3. A record the Steelers had never come close to in their 40-year history at the time. No one knew what kind of season the Steelers were going to have and I doubt anyone predicted 11-3 was possible especially since the previous year they were 6-8 and 5-9 the year before that. It was already a year that far exceeded expectations. Second, the game looked like it was well in hand for the Steelers with just less than 2:00 minutes to go when Ken Stabler ran around the left end untouched for a 40 yard TD. But not all was lost. What the film doesn't show is Terry Bradshaws 3 successive incomplete throws from the Steeler 40 yard line. I remember being frustrated as to why he was throwing so deep downfield on those throws as they only needed to go about 20 yards to get into field goal range. The goalposts were on the goal line back then so if they could get to the 40 of Oakland Gerela had a makeable kick to win the game as the score was only 7-6 Oakland. Then the miracle happened. Fans erupted and 40 years of pent up frustrations came flowing, more like erupting, out. I, like many, jumped onto the field which wasn't too hard for me as we were just 4 rows up and the stands on both sides of the field went nearly to field level. 1st-row fan's feet were just a foot or so off the field. My dad said to stay on the sideline, which I did and stood next to linebacker Gerald Irons who I thought was the largest person I had ever seen. I witnessed either Pete Banaszak or Marv Hubbard throwing their helmet into the bench. Recently an NFL Films documentary was produced that covered what became known as the Immaculate Reception. It analyzed the Tatum, Fuqua collision frame by frame like they were forensic experts going over the Zapruder film. Conclusion: the ball never touched Fuqua. Close up frame by frame stop-action sequence showed the ball above Fuqua's fingertips. And the fact that Fuqua's running in the direction of the ball- with 2 energies going in the same direction. Tatum's direction, and energy, was going into the ball. When the collision happened the ball careened back towards the line of scrimmage - obviously from being influenced by Tatum's direction of energy. If it had hit Fuqua in the hands it would have dropped to the ground right there. Or if it had hit him in the back - which it clearly didn't as the ball was way above his out-stretched hands it still would have dropped to the ground at that point as Fuqua's direction and energy were going with the ball. Only Tatum's was going against the direction of the ball. Sorry Raiders fans.

“… bothered me then, bothers me now and will, probably, bother me until the day I die.” It did. RIP Coach Madden. You were one of the greats.

It hit Tatum then back to Harris which he caught the ball. That's just plain physics right there.

Growing up in the 70s I loved the Steelers (even tho I'm from ATL). I met Franco Harris once in a restaurant in Buckhead Atlanta (I served there) in 1995. He looked in great shape, was happy and as nice as he could be! So great to meet a guy you looked up to and he turns out to actually be a cool guy in person!

The voice of this narrator takes me right back to when I was a kid.

I saw my father cry three times. 1) Cyrano de Bergerac 2) The Immaculate Reception 3) The Death of My Mother

I can't believe that Fuqua was so concerned about who got the credit. Franco just wanted to help the Steelers win, so he deserved all the glory.

I was 9 years old and the next day in school I thought everyone was talking about some guy named Frank O'Hariss.

I teach English as a second language. In the advanced classes we get into figurative language and idioms. When the term "divine intervention" comes up in chapter 6, I always show this video as an example.

Having grown up in the Pittsburgh area at that time I remember that Franco was already a star even before that game - Franco's Italian Army was everywhere. Even Frank Sinatra was a member. The game just solidified his image and created a cult, but Franco was already a star player for the Steelers - along with Joe Greene and Andy Russell. I once met Frency Fuqua - he did have gold fish in the heels of his shoes.

The Steelers put Pa. back on the map. I grew up with this team and ill love this crew forever.

Forgetting about whether it was a legal catch or not, I prefer to view this as the day the Snake was born. What a TD run! You just knew Madden would have a short leash on Lamonica the next season and the Raiders went from the Mad Bomber to the Snake shortly into that 1973 season.

That was one of the most bitter defeats I have ever witnessed on a football field. Especially since Phil Villapiano said he was in position to make the tackle and got clipped on the play, and no flags were tossed by the refs.

Franco Harris Was At The Right Place At The Right Time.

As amazing as this play was. What I took away from this...man I miss the old days of 🏈. These men were tough. The hits..by God the hits. If someone hit a receiver like Tatum did to Fuqua., that player would serve a life sentence in prison.

The ball clearly bounced off Tatum's shoulder.

As a Steelers fan, Franco Harris is a damn legend

In 2019 pass interference would probably had been called on the Raiders.

This play has more historical significance than people realize. The truth about the phone call was that it was to the league office where Bob Swearingen took the call. The ref told him that Pat Harder and Adrian Burk, two of the on-field officials and two former NFL players themselves, had ruled double touch. Both Tatum and Fuqua had made contact with the ball; therefore , the catch was legal and the touchdown should stand. Swearingen said that the on-field officials had the right call. And that is how the Immaculate Reception was the first play in NFL history to be determined by instant replay.

I was at that game first row end seat end zone . the players had to enter the locker room there. all I rem is how pissed the raider players were when the game was over as they entered the locker room.

My cousin Dave was SUCH a Raiders fan. I still remember the disappointment and disbelief in his voice as he described that play.

Great video. These kind of videos say that it made Franco a star, but for those who lived through this, he was a huge rookie star that year. That's part of what makes the play so great is that Franco made the play after his incredible rookie year. This play made him a legend.

Terry Bradshaw: "What happened, what happened??"😂

Love the mill hunk yinzer screaming cmon Franco! Let's go!

Sometimes all it takes is being at the right place at the right time.

I was a 15 year old kid eating dinner on a tray, jumped up and screamed, spilling everything on the floor as I watched Harris run into the EZ! I remember so well how everyone in the stands just poured on to the field in celebration! Those were the days!

My favorite play of all time. Even though I was only 5.

Franco's Italian army gotta love it!

Greatest play in NFL history.

I remember watching this on TV as a little kid w/ my Dad. It was unbelievable

Love seeing this play...I was 14 at the time and a huge Dolphins fan. The next week we played for the AFC championship and though we were undefeated at the time (15-0) due to AFC championship scheduling procedures at the time, the AFC Central hosted. So we beat the Steelers in Three Rivers the week after this game to get to the SB and complete our '72 undefeated season.

A moment I’ll never forget!

I remember that play - amazing and it play on Monday night football for years...... that was a great decade of football Don't forget the Hail Mary pass by the Great Roger.

so many great players in that game, hall of famers. never to see a game like that ever again

Greatest play of all times! You got to love the Steers and its HISTORY!!! Thanks for sharing this video!

This was the bes time of the Steelers with a group of players that make history and give glory to the team Franco Harris was a GREAT player but not the only one that was a TERRIFIC team not only Franco and I love each one of them

And so began that great rivalry between Steelers and Raiders in the 70s and 80s

The greatest fantastic finish in the history of the NFL.Without question.

I SAW THIS LIVE

Timeless great moments in NFL history. I'm a die hard Raider fan. This wasn't a stolen game. The tuck rule game was the biggest ripoff in sports history.

The narrator of this NFL film was Jeff Kaye who worked for WBEN 930 radio in Buffalo, NY--when John Facenda passed away NFL films was looking for an announcer to complement the great Harry Kalas--Mr. Kaye's program director at the radio station (unknown to Mr. Kaye)-sent a demo tape to NFL films--they obviously loved what they heard and hired Mr. Kaye without hesitation--Mr. Kaye went on to have a stellar career with NFL films and also became a very close friend of Mr. Kalas

I became a Steeler fan that day and still a fan today!!! Go Stilers!!

We finally know now that the ball hit Tatum since that have the video from the original broadcast. You can even see Harris cleaning catching the ball as well. No doubt about it. What a great play, one of the best and most exciting in all of sports still to this day.

3:14. "That's alright, Franco's here. Come on Franco...LET'S GO!" So funny when you play it back!

“This is Us” brought me here!

Pause the video at 8:24 you can see that the ball hit Tatum

The next game the Steelers played was the '72 AFC Championship game, which due to AFC league rules at that time the game rotated between the divisions, so even though the Dolphins were undefeated/untied and had the better record they had to play the AFC Championship on the road in three rivers stadium in Pitt...but the Dolphins still won and obviously went on to win the SB and complete the Perfect Season.

"I'LL NEVER TELL"

I turned my tv off I couldn't watch but, then I said what the hell they had a good year then turned the tv back on just to see Franco running down the sidelines. I went cool slam crazy! 😂

"This is us" Season 3, Episode 1 brought me here. Incredible piece of Football history. Love it, go Steelers.

Although they would soon lose to Miami, this was the start of the Steelers winning ways for the rest of the 1970s.

Not sure what is greater the play or listening to the Raiders whine.

jack went for the hit and gave the game away ,awesome !

Black and Gold, till I'm Dead and Cold. Go STEELERS NATION!

Franco avoided the block and "jogged" in front of the pocket to be open for a ten yard pass to get them first down. It was strategic, not lazy. If he was lazy, he would not have run toward the ball once it was passed. He learned that from the Penn State coach.

playing on concrete back then...almost

A brutal game played in tough wintry conditions. Gotta love the old NFL.

Omfg look at the carpet they played on lol

Being a Steeler fan, I hated all those Raider players and coaches in the 1970s. Now I see them as worthy rivals who played the game very hard.

🖤💛RIP FRANCO🙏Great player, better man!🖤💛🏈✌️

the ref was probably calling other officials to confirm the touchdown werent any reviews then

Without doubt one of the top 3 classic plays in NFL history.

Love the salt and lies of the Raiders.

At about age 3 I learned just how deeply mom's Pittsburgh roots run. Of course though we live In southern California ( which mom detests.) Steelers are the family team. When I think of my childhood the first thing I think of is football. How important it was. Those killer Superbowls against Dallas were the best games to me. The players were just beasts. Not crying or pouting for not getting his way. Mostly.

This game was the beginning of one of the greatest rivalries in NFL history. Oakland and Pittsburgh along with the Miami Dolphins took turns beating each other and going to the Super Bowl in the 1970's. Steelers went back to back twice winning 4 times. The Dolphins when 3 consecutive times winning twice and Oakland finally broke through and won SB XI in 1976.

What is that insanely huge device at 35 seconds. 😂😂😂 that thing is enormous

Roberto Clemente' s spirit was present for help Franco Harris make this final seconds miracle in the NFL history " The Inmaculated Reception"

I'm a 36 year Raiders fan, but this was an amazing play

JUST WHINE, BABY!

5:57... Phil Villapiano's version of wat happened has me in tears... hahahahaha

"Just win, baby!!!"

Playing football in that time compared to now was like flying P51 Mustangs compared to being a drone pilot. I big hit on a defenseless receiver was something you got congratulated for. A late hit was when you hit a guy after he was halfway back to the huddle.

That was almost an all-time clutch Stabler play with that 40 yard scramble if it weren't for the luckiest play in nfl history

Steelers offensive line was the MVP's holding the great Raiders defense in check so Bradshaw could make the throw.

Having watched 15,000 hours of televised football between then and now or whatever, it looks pretty clearly like a catch based on position of Franco's hands and how fast the ball came up. It was under control the whole time whether or not the tip touched the ground off camera. Whether it was an illegal double-touch is another question... That I don't know. But it looks like a clean catch from the one Zapruder film that we have... Top of the football is controlled at the top of his sock and dips a couple inches lower for a fraction of a second and comes up hard.... (P.S. I was a Raider fan and this was a crushing play. I listened to it on the radio...)

"Myron Cope" Its Franco to the bank-o!

NFL films really told the story back then.

Ref clearly signals TD @ 5:00 . Madden keep on denying it ..

Terry is so animated when he tell his story. Lol.

John Madden says the Immaculate Reception will bother him until the day he dies....now he know how San Diego Charger fans feel about the Holy Roller Play.

Where's the "clip "Phil V is talking about?he looked like he got scraped slightly from side.

The three points of controversy regarding the Immaculate Reception, the dispute as to who touched the pass before it was caught, whether it was caught at all, and whether or not there was a block in the back have been voiced for many years, so I guess I'll add my thoughts about them. First, there should be no controversy at all regarding whether it was deflected directly from one Steelers player to another without a defender touching it at any time. The mere fact that the ball caromed 30 yards away toward the sidelines and back toward the line of scrimmage says that Jack Tatum had to have knocked the ball out of there, because the ball went in the direction he was going, and away from where Frenchy Fuqua was heading. That would have made it a legal catch, according to the rules at the time. The second point of controversy is, by far, the most obvious. Whether Franco actually caught the ball or trapped it off the artificial turf. No video evidence is known to exist that shows either whether Franco definitively caught the ball or trapped it. However, Gene Upshaw saw that part of the play as it was right in front of him, and he insisted that Franco did, indeed make the catch. Based on that, I'd have to say that Franco caught it. The third point of controversy, the one regarding whether or not LB Phil Villapiano was blocked from behind, is the hardest to speculate on, but if anything, I would say that he might have been tripped up by the blocker in question. If he was behind Villapiano, it was so close that it would have been nearly impossible to determine whether he was completely behind him, or had any part of his body even with, or in front of him, so I would say that it was a good no-call. If anything, I would consider that to be a cut block, a play infringed upon at that time, but not illegal. There have been numerous controversial calls against the Raiders, that they would have a right to be very mad at over time. To me, this is not one of them, unlike the botched call of Rob Lytle's fumble in the 1977 AFC Championship Game, another play that involved Tatum, or the "Tuck Rule" in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff where they got jobbed by the head referee in Foxboro. That said, there have been many controversial calls that went in the Raiders' favor over the years, some of which have been bad calls. The most notable among those being the "Holy Roller" in San Diego in 1978, when Ken Stabler clearly threw a shovel pass that should have been called incomplete and then Pete Banasak illegally batted the ball forward before Dave Casper recovered it in the end zone for the GW TD. Another controversial call involving the Raiders was the roughing the passer call on Sugar Bear Hamilton in the 1976 AFC Divisional Playoff Game that, had it not been called, would have resulted in the Patriots advancing to the AFC Championship Game. However, that was the right call, as Hamilton clearly hit Stabler's head on that play, but it's been a source of consternation for Patriots' fan ever since. Another thing about the Immaculate Reception is that Fred Swearingen, who was the head referee for that game would also be the official that called the controversial PI penalty on Benny Barnes in Super Bowl XIII. In fact, the Steelers have gotten more than their fair share of breaks from the officials over the years. In Super Bowl IX, there was the 30-yard pass to Larry Brown that Vikings fans, to this day, believe he fumbled, but Ed Marion, the official who botched the Rob Lytle play, overruled the original call and gave the Steelers the ball back. Then there was the collection of mysterious calls in Super Bowl XL vs. the Seahawks that all went the Steelers way, as they finally won their fifth Super Bowl title. And in 2008, there was a controversial overrule that determined a late-season game in Baltimore, as the Steelers went on to win their record sixth Super Bowl title.

That was the latest hit ever.

As a Raiders fan I will admit the ball hit Tatum first then bounced off Fuqua second right into the hands of Franco.The great Curt Gowdy called the game on NBC. I call still hear a game announcer say" And there's a collision! And its caught out if the air by Franco Harris!" I was 14 years old at the time.The Steelers lost to the undefeated Dolphins 21-17 the following week in the AFC championship game.

Anyone know the name of the tune that starts at :25 ?

There is a NFL film clip of this play from the opposite side of the field, Seen it one time when it was showed with other big game high lights. All were showed from an angle that is different than the traditional ones. It was done as a commercial. Funny thing is this different angle really showed what really happened on that play

In those days you could even hit the quarterback. Today's games SUCK!

1st of 5 straight years when the teams would see each other in the postseason. The Steelers would win 3 of the 5 meetings, including AFC championship game after 1974 & 75 seasons, although 1 of the Raiders wins came during their 16-1 Super Bowl 11 title year of 1976

sure Frenchy, that was gonna happen.

Al LoCasale's account (7:52) of what the referee said on the phone is something I've always wanted to know. I was 12 years old and wondered "why is the referee on that phone so long?" Hahahahahaha!

I remember the Stabler td and the Harris td. The Steelers were ridiculously lucky(was cheering for neither,was only ten). Like how the announcer declares a Harris td before he reaches the end zone.

great stuff

No team will ever be as great as the black and gold !

Franco has never been on record saying that the ball didn't touch the ground when he grabbed it. All 4 camera views that exist of the play have no clear view of the ball, Franco's hands and the ground so only he knows.

To be honest if Jack Tatum goes for the ball instead of a kill shot, this play never happens.

Somebody wouldn't have gotten out of there alive if that play wouldn't have counted.

Win is a win, no matter how much the Raiders talked down about Franco!

I guess it was so immaculate that the NFL got rid of the “double touch rule” after that.