On December 23, 1972 Franco Harris caught a pass and won a NFL playoff game. What is that play still called?

In an American Football Conference playoff game at Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium, with the home team losing to the Oakland Raiders, Franco Harris made “The Immaculate Reception” that sent the Raiders grumbling home to California and brought pre-Christmas glee to legions of the National Football League’ Steelers fanatics in western Pennsylvania.

Under NFL rules, if a pass is touched by or touches an eligible receiver while the ball is in the air and still in bounds, then only that player can legally catch the ball. If, on the other hand, the ball touches or is touched by a defensive player or by a defensive player and eligible receiver simultaneously, any offensive player can make the legal reception.

With only 22 seconds of the game’s 60-minute playing time (four 15-minute quarters) remaining, Pittsburgh was behind by a score of 7-6. Attempting to complete a pass to Receiver John “Frenchy” Fuqua, Quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw the ball. According to the official on the field, Oakland Defensive Back Jack Tatum got between the ball and Fuqua, and it bounced off Tatum’ hands. In the area to block defenders for Fuqua, Harris made the catch and ran for a touchdown.

Pittsburgh won its first playoff game ever and then won four Super Bowl championship games by the end of the decade. A caller gave the term “immaculate reception” to a radio sportscaster, who used it on air. The term has stuck for decades.