The Immaculate Reception

[Legometallica09]

The funny part is the tackling.

[fwwoolworth]

The most important day in Steelers history!

[4736dmr]

Raiders had to wait about two years to get a break in the playoffs, when they beat the Dolphins on that "Sea of Hands" catch out in Oakland when Stabler was getting sacked, and threw that end of end pass for the td.; this one though had to be the most painful

[MrShmeeboy]

One of the greatest things about this play is the way the Raiders and their fans whine and complain about this play. The Raiders---a team that won more games in more bizarre & fucked up ways than any team in professional sports--can't shake the fact that this play happened to them. "It has to be a conspiracy!!" I love watching Phil Villapiano talk about it. He ages 5 years before your eyes. TFF! Keep whining!!

[dbjkatz]

A play this awesome won't happen again for another 1,000 years.

[winyguy]

@gandil408 The City of Pittsburgh sure did went from heaven to hell.

[waddayaknow100]

This was the last football game I watched with my father. He passed away 9 days later on Jan. 4 1973. I was 16 he was 61. My Dad's team was the Packers and on this day my team became the Steelers. The DREAM Super Bowl I have waited for, for 38 years is NOW happening. It's my Dad's team against mine.

[ebc123123123]

Lucky, unlucky. Legal, illegal. The bottom line this play was only possible because Tatum felt obliged to put one of his patented cheap shots to the head/neck on Fuqua, causing the ball to go flailing into the air such as it did and the rest is history. If he had simply put a clean, hard tackle on Fuqua, the Raiders would have won. By the way Tatum died this year. Too bad.

[plaidchuck]

will never forget.. black n gold for life

[MultiGolfing]

Bottom Line " Steelers Rule "

[TommyC503]

Dontl let Bubbaboobie get you upset - he is Al Davis' whore - literrally - takes Al's dick in the ass every other night.

[SportsEinstein]

luckiest play ever. Practically no skill whatsoever. However, it was legal.

[calzona01]

consider the play illegal

[ostrich67]

This gave me chills.

[vividwatch47]

...but not the perfect Super Bowl record!

[hugggyion]

The issue is whether Fuqua touched it--he didn't.

[hugggyion]

Bubba and I had a good exchange w/o vulgar profanity--why can't you?

[bubbabubbabooba]

the play was illegal..............it clearly hit Fuqua in the head or helmet and took off from the impact right to Franco Harris. Tatum was known as a big hitter, but even he couldn't of made the ball fly as far as it did........only Frenchy's big fat brick head coulduv made that baby fly like a "bat out of hell" all the way to where Franco was........7-6 Raiders, 1972 AFC divisional playoff winners.........

[hugggyion]

Check out the original telecast--it's totally inconclusive--Steelers win, Steelers win.

[bubbabubbabooba]

well I conclude that Frenchy's big fat head sent the ball to a lazy, jogging, "on his way to the lockerroom" Franco who all of sudden said......"look what I found!!!" .......also, if the referees had done their research and known that Frenchy Fuqua was an accomplished soccor player in France before he fled the country during the French revolution, the refs woulduv noticed him "heading" the ball right to Franco, and made the correct call...........no touchdown.....7-6 Raiders win.

[hugggyion]

Here let me watch it again...(4 minutes later)....totally inconclusive....what a great play by the immortal super italian-african hall of famer...go Franco, go!...Touchdown...the gateway to 4 Super Bowl wins!!!

[bubbabubbabooba]

yep, gotta thank those refs for contributing to the NFL's conspiracy against Al Davis and the Raiders.........wasn't this game around Christmas time 1972? the refs did a great job of presenting the "Immaculate Christmas" present to the city of Pittsbugh, with this gift of a touchdown..........that really wasn't a touchdown.........and opening the gateway to 4 Super Bowls..........

[TommyC503]

Folks - you are dealing with the great Bubbaboobie - he actually purchased a life size wax doll of Al Davis, and he sucks its dick each night. He practiced on a piece of gum before he could get enough throat clearance to take Al's dick all the way! Bubbaboobie - an American legend!

[Badseed131313]

@bubbabubbabooba No, Bradshaw couldn't have thrown the ball 35 yards with such force that it could bounce back over 7 yards off Fuqua into the hands of Harris. You want to see how hard Tatum was charging upfield, look at the original broadcast and see how Fuqua was hit so hard he was knocked of his feet and sent flying. This was the same amount of energy applied to the ball that caused it to bounce back upfield into Harris' hands.

[299774639]

this play set in motion the greatest team and organization in nfl history period

[DreadWizardDM]

I was raised on Steeler football, I was 2 and a half yrs old when that game was played but my older brother still talks about it. I think it is the greatest play in NFL history.

[CHEEZEBURNATHADON85]

was that a play off game or super bowl game or just a season game? im 23

[eejHolmes10]

yeah it was the afc championship

[Warren1962]

It was a first round play off game. The Steelers then lost to Miami in the next round. That was the year the Dolphins were undefeated.

[AllanR2D2]

playoff game. The next week Pittsburgh hosted AFC championship game vs Miami though the Dolphins had a better record (were undefeated). Steelers controlled the game until 4th qtr. Miami faked a 4th down punt & the Steelers bit. I remember it 'cause I was in an endzone seat and it looked to me like the Steelers were blocking for Miami. Had Steelers covered the fake, the infamous undefeated Miami season would have never happened. Few yrs later Noll got revenge by whipping Miami in playoffs.

[yankeefan2k7]

BULL FUCKING SHIT tip the ball its dead fucking bull shit

[JackFlemingFan]

What a call on the radio by Jack Fleming!!

[andyr1313]

Read where the Pittsburgh radio call on the play was re-recorded in a studio later, as the crowd noise drowned out the audio. Listen to Bill King's call on the Raider broadcast- more emotion, more immediate, and called down the middle

[nicholewilliams30]

Born and Raised in the Steel City!!! I was 2months old when this game was played and my kids know about theis play...Legal or not Legal...these guys were REAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS!!

[MasterAceman123456]

Still greatest TD in NFL history, but go any other team!

[KareemGrant1]

comment me back

SOMEONE TALK TO ME xo

[obiwanobiwan13]

1. The ball definitely hit Tatum, maybe a bit of Frenchy too, but the point is it WAS legal

2. I've seen so manay people on YouTube call this the greatest play ever. I contest that- I think that three plays should be tied for that honor:

Starr's plunge in The Ice Bowl, this one, and The Catch. I am a 49ers fan, so I of course like The Catch best, but all were significant in NFL history, all launched a dynasty, and all defined the characteristics of that dynasty.

49ers win the West 08!

[donovansteel]

The ball NEVER TOUCHED Fuqua...it hit Tatum He MIGHT have intercepted it had he not been giving an ILLEGAL HIT on Fuqua..watch it in slow motion..it clearly hit Tatum..was it lucky?..yes of course...but it was legal and the right call..get the video nfls greatest moments..its the greatest moment..watch in slow motion as they show it..it hit tatum..all madden stories about never called a td.villapianos balling about how he was clipped..all nonsense..it was lucky yes..but the right call

[floatfloaton]

yes it did hit Fuqua!! After Tatum hit the ball, it hit Fuqua's shoulder on the way to Franco. That's illegal in 1972. Raiders won 7-6.

[dougalmac54]

wrong douchebag, Steelers win, and there's no amount of your baby ass whining gonna change it, so GET OVER IT. Just Lose, Baby! Raiders suck!

[flash522gp]

Dude. I like Pgh; not my fave tho, so nothing personal. The XP is up, & it's good. So it's 2 late 2 throw the red flag (only by 36 years, though).

Thx, Spike - very thought-provoking. Got any video evidence of Bellichick's cheating (especially in Super Bowls)?

[xHateHealsx]

actually, if it's the way you say it is, and the ball hit Tatum first, then Fuqua, it WOULD be LEGAL in 1972. The rule stated at that time that if the ball hit an opposing player first, it was fair game.

[floatfloaton]

no I know, I'm just a longtime Raider fan fighting a brutal loss, even though it's 3o+ years later. If Tatum touched the ball at all it's legal and it seems like he most likely did. Even so, the nose of the ball hit the ground when Franco caught it........so the Raiders still won the game 7-6....wha ha ha!!

[BigHHHfan]

actually i think if it hit fuqua first it would of been illegal but it hit the defender first so it was a tipped pass picked up and ran for a TD

[floatfloaton]

the "snake" won this game on the field, the refs won it for the Steelers. The ball touched Fuqua, making it an illegal play.

[J0ke111]

the play was fucking stupid and lucky steelers can blow me!!!!

[big0014]

Ha ha ha, you're funny.

[lovejoy71]

Funny. You downloaded someone elses video and then reposted as your own.

[NFLranking]

Kenny Stabler running into the endzone like Steve Young against Minnesota in 88.

[xxGiantsxx56]

thats not the best paly evr (no offence steelers fans) but thu best play waz eli manning david tyree (the highest offence 2 pats fans lol) an if u didnt no im a giants fan lol =P

[big0014]

@xxGiantsxx56: It was indeed the best play in NFL history. The NFL gave it that name.

[xxGiantsxx56]

well i mean its an awesome play but i mean it waz just a catch made off of a missed catch an yea i no it waz 4 a td jus i think the best play should b the giants play in the super bowl so thats jus my opinian

[big0014]

Plus, this was the play that got the Steelers to the Superbowl.

[xxGiantsxx56]

well yea but like i said my opinian is that it is'nt the best paly but it is what it is i ges...so o well (go giants) X)

[dougalmac54]

No, Steelers got beat by Miami in the AFC championship game.....

[kkemen07]

thats what they said... the Miami DOLPHINS

[xXbannanapuddingXx]

good spelling

[xxGiantsxx56]

lol i like to text so sew me and yes i no play is spelled wrong

[projectinsane]

Pittsburgh Steelers where the greatest then and still today

[MotoXXMark]

omg amazing FRANCO!!

[jayjohnstrick]

fuck the steelers and pittsburgh

[TheMostHardcoreGamer]

Go suck a man, you miserable douchebag

[TBomb068]

Amen!! This is the ULTIMATE play of the NFL. Sorry to the Giants fans but David Tyree's Super bowl catch has to take a back seat to this play. It'll be 36 years this coming December and we're still talking about it. I was 4 years old when this play happened. Here we go Steelers! Here we go!!!!!!!!!!

[jktube08]

I was born a Steeler fan in 1972..the immaculate conception...Wuuuuuuuuuu

STEELERS

[JamalDOA]

damn...how do you let ken stabler run on you like that??

[spiikestone]

lol.

[jeffee50]

@JamalDOA Concerning Stabler's 30 yard run, this was the only play of the game that Dwight White missed. If he was in there, I dont think this run would have occurred.

[explizidace]

AWESOMENESS!!!

[thesyxxpac]

I was 12 and at my best friend's house watching the game. There has never been a play come close to this one for excitement and I've seen a lot of football since then.

[kkemen07]

OMG i wish i could have seen this live! I probably would have a heart attack :)

GOOOO STEELERS

[jtm12180]

i hear that!