New Footage! Immaculate Reception - Catch and End of Game including Referee's Phone Call 

Can we take a moment to remember Franco Harris, who passed away today, December 21, 2022 at the age of 72. The Steelers had a celebration planned for this Saturday where they were set to retire his jersey.

The late Great Curt Gowdy on the call. One of the greatest announcers, baseball or football, of that era and of all time. Every game he called kept you in suspense and on the edge of your seat.

This is AMAZING!!!! I never thought I'd see the NBC broadcast of the immaculate reception in it's entirety! I don't know how or where you were able to find this video, but, this is truly incredible! For decades, the only film of this game/ event was the NFL films version of the game. Then I remember in the 1997 AFC championship game between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers, NBC " discovered" their long lost broadcast of the immaculate reception.... But this is on another level! They only showed the pass and the catch for the touchdown, but, they never showed the infamous " Dugout phone call" the referee made. If you're a fan on NFL football, a fan of either team or a fan of NFL films, then you know the stories and the eye witness accounts of what happened at the end of this game. It is awesome to finally see these moments in their original broadcast form. Congratulations once again, on a job well done!

I grew up a die-hard Raiders fan. In 1972, I was 7 years old. The 1972 season was my first NFL season watching football and this was the very first playoff game I watched. After Stabler engineered a terrific 80 yard touchdown drive to take the lead capped off by his great 30 yard touchdown run, I was so happy. I surely thought the Raiders had this game won. The Immaculate Reception broke my heart. It was the luckiest play in NFL history. That play was like winning the lottery. The odds of a play like that happening are at least one million to one (probably more). While everyone was watching the Steelers and their fans celebrating in jubilation, I focused on the Raiders reactions. To see the look on the faces of Madden, Stabler, etc., My heart broke for them. To lose a postseason game on a fluke play like that must have been the most devastating loss possible. However, from that game came 2 positives for me. First, it started what I consider the greatest rivalry in NFL history. Second, from the heartbreak of that loss, I became a life-long Raiders fan. Now, as far as the play is concerned and the controversy surrounding it. Franco caught that ball. It never hit the ground nor was it trapped. I think that is very clear. Villipiano was not clipped. In order for a block to be a clip, he had to have been blocked from behind. He wasn't. The Tight End clearly came in from the side to throw the block. That's not clipping. Finally, the biggest controversy of all. Who touched the ball that was deflected to Franco. The rules at the time stated that one offensive receiver could not be the only one to touch the ball deflected to another offensive receiver catching it. A defensive player has to also touch the ball, at some point, to make that play legal. Tatum touched the ball. From every replay, it clearly shows the ball bouncing off Tatum's shoulder/chest. Now, the ball might've also touched Frenchy's hand. While that's not clear from the video, it is a possibility. However, since Tatum touched the ball, it doesn't matter whether or not Frenchy touched it. Just by Tatum touching it made the play legal and legitimate. Also, it doesn't matter if Frenchy touched it first or last. As long as Tatum touched the ball, the play was legal. For it to be illegal, Frenchy had to be the only one touch it while Tatum never touched it. That's what biased Raiders fans who can't be objective want to believe. However, that's just not realistic nor the truth as to what happened based on all video evidence. It was a legal play. The ultimate lucky plat but legal. This analysis is coming from a Raiders fan who absolutely loved the old Raiders teams of the 70's and wished they had won this game and won more Super Bowls than they did. I'm just not going to lie about this play. I have to be honest.

Was there with both my brothers, may they rest in peace, my dad and best friend, and yes we ran into the end zone after Franco scored.

50 years later STILL the greatest play in NFL history. This footage is incredible. I've never seen the subsequent phone call nor the extra point or the kickoff and Hail Mary. Simply outstanding film. Thank you!!!

As a lifetime Raiders fan, this is still painful to watch. I was a sophomore in high school in the Bay Area at the time and was still celebrating what I thought was Kenny Stabler's game winning touchdown when Franco stole it. For years, I hated Franco and the Steelers, and bought into the controversy surrounding the play. Later, I realized what a brilliant effort it was by Franco to go to the ball and legally make a great catch, then head to the end zone. In retrospect, there is no question that Jack Tatum touched the ball. I just never wanted to believe it. Franco was a class act, and I was very saddened by his passing. RIP #32.🙏 It still hurts to see the play, but I've learned to appreciate it. It's always a pure pleasure to hear the great Curt Gowdy and big Al DeRogatis. IMO, the best team I've ever heard. I sure miss those AFL/AFC games on NBC with greats like Charlie Jones and Jim Simpson. They all knew how to let the action do the talking instead of the incessant rambling that we hear now.

Something I've always noticed about this.... If you closely watch Franco from the start of the play, you see him staying in the backfield as a blocker. When he has no one to block, he looks back and sees Bradshaw scrambling, then he takes off downfield to become an emergency check down receiver just in case. That's why he was in the right place at the right time

Wow! This new footage is unbelievable!I would like to thank you.for showing it! From a long Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Watched this with a bunch of people standing around a TV set at Sears. Amazing moment. What made this even more dramatic was the big 30-yard run by Ken Stabler about one minute before this play to give Oakland the lead. Talk about rollercoaster emotions.

Pittsburgh had incredible joy, but would experience incredible sadness just 8 days later when Roberto Clemente was taken much too soon

Thanks for posting this. Amazing footage. One of the most amazing plays ever. I was watching the Raiders and Steelers play here on Christmas Eve night and thinking about this play and Franco Harris' legacy as a Steeler. RIP Harris.

side note.. Roy Gerela worried me on every kick.. even extra points 😅

Watched the game with my dad in '72. We were longtime Colt fans. Loved Franco and his Italian Army.

Best footage of this historic play I've ever seen. As an added bonus, you can slow it down to 1/4, .5, or 3/4 speed -- on top of the slo-mo already part of the video. So many cool things about this play that all of you have mentioned already: Bradshaw's elusiveness, Franco's situational awareness, reception and sprint to the end zone; Tatum's ridiculous power sending the ball on a perfect trajectory to Franco. But I also have to give props to Frenchy Fuqua, who seemed as out of the play as Franco was while Bradshaw was scrambling, but fought off a hold and a chuck and got himself in position to make a play on the ball despite Tatum converging on the same point. Fuqua fought hard to get open, wound up getting blasted. Like Andy Russell Fuqua was one of the few Steelers from Noll's first year good enough to remain with the team for two Superb Owls.

How fitting it was for the Steelers to come back at the end of game last night to beat the Raiders......again...almost same score,bittersweet due to Franco......last night was a SPECIAL game for Steeler nation. Love your channel Tim,Chris from east tn. diehard fan.

Still after all these years, the greatest play of all time. It never gets dated.

I grew up despising the Steelers, but I always respected them and admired their play and excellence. There were so many of the same guys there year after year. Luck is said to be where opportunity meets preparation, and Franco was on the spot. Such a fun memory to relive. Thanks for posting! RIP Franco Harris, and prayers to you and your family.

Franco caught it with the tips of his fingers! He kept it from hitting the ground - that’s the Immaculate portion of it. Amazing stuff.

I have never ever seen this footage! It is incredible!!

Franco never gave up on a play. It was in his DNA. Everyone who ever played the game at any level knows that you are coached to "finish the play" even when you are not directly involved. Run down field even if it's the final play of the game and even the season. Maybe you'll throw a block or recover a fumble. And maybe, just maybe, something miraculous might happen. Franco Harris finished every play. RIP 32.

This game, the 1974 Bills playoff game, '75 Colts playoff game--the Holy Trinity of missing games, at least as far as playoffs go. You're awesome Tim!

The 1970s NFL was the best ! I'm glad as a kid that I grew up watching NFL in the mid to late 70s. The fans were the best too. They swarmed the field and the players with no incidents. Raiders fans and other teams' fans too.

6 seconds that lasted for ever in our hearts. May he Rest In Peace.

This was one of the first games I remember watching live. RIP Franco Harris.

...from this incredible high to the loss of our beloved Roberto Clemente...

What struck me about the play is Tatum had a chance to either catch the ball or knock it down but instead went for the hit on the player. I think 999 times out of a thousand he made the right play but in this case it deflects high enough for Franco to catch it and the rest is history.

Well thanks for posting that the original footage all the way to the end including the credits with Tennessee Ernie Ford Christmas wow thank you so much LOL that was awesome

Not that it matters... My football nickname was "Franco" after this. Mainly, after I ran a 102yd TD, through the line, on the first play of our Homecoming game, after our guy fumbled to the 1 yd line, when they kicked off to us. And then, I was put in to do the kick off return, the second time, and was finally tackled about 5 yards short of doing it again. I played "Ironman"... Fullback / Mid Linebacker. Thanks, Mr Harris. So much for my glory night. Thanks for listening.

Thank you for posting this. If this exists, then I bet that somewhere a tape of the whole game exists.

I was a 9, a Browns child living in CLE. This was a game I'll never remember. The entire AFC '70's were incredible, to a boy like me!

Thank you for posting the extra footage. I remember exactly what I was doing, where I was and what the weather was like outside watching that game as a young Raider fan. The Raiders would’ve hosted the Dolphins the next week and might have ruined the perfect season. After all the Raiders never lost to the Dolphins in Northern California until the 2000s, but we’ll never know. Priceless memories. Later that day, the 49ers blew their playoff game against the Cowboys in Roger Staubach’s debut as “Captain Comeback”. It was a very sad day for the Bay Area.

This happened on my 9th birthday & still unforgettable. Curt Gowdy = best NFL play by play man of all-time.

I was 13 years old and had never seen a Steeler game as they were not on TV in the area I grew up in. I watched that game and fell in love with there defense. The next week they played the undefeated Miami dolphins and lost. I became a Steeler fan that day and this past December made 50 years a fan. RIP Franco as you will never be forgotten.

OMG i have never seen this replay! Thank you so much for posting this.

The game was not broadcast in Pittsburgh. I lived 4 miles from 3 Rivers Stadium, I had to go to Erie to watch the game. I am glad I went. RIP Franco.

Why doesn’t this have 1.5 million views

How it all began! Only wish we could see the whole game. RIP Oh Great One!

Thanks for the memories! My dad was at this game as a Christmas present. My dad said there was so much mayhem ...still have the tickets today!

When I was 9 years old, I read about this play in a book of football's greatest plays. At that moment, I became a Steeler fan. That was nearly 50 years ago.

This moment couldn't have happened to a better man. Franco had such good will and such integrity, a beautiful spirit. Used his incredible fame to bring so much joy to people. Always had time to help. Always had time to talk. He cared more about what other people felt than what he felt. He was a very special man. RIP

Favorite Steeler and player of all time. Rest in peace Franco.

They you for showing this!! This game took place really very shortly after I was born. What really amazes me about this game is not only the miracle catch made by Franco Harris to score this miracle 60-yard touchdown run with only seconds left in the game which gave the Steelers the win, 13-7, but actually this is the Steeler's very first postseason win in team's history, since this NFL franchise first existed in the 1930s. Also, it seems to me this game became the solid foundation of the team's (Steeler's) dynasty of this same decade, the 1970s, where the Steelers would end up winning 4 Super Bowls afterwards up 'til the 1980 Super Bowl game (the 4th Super Bowl Steelers would win just after the '79 NFL season).

Franco was so chill in the end zone. Super cool.

He caught it! Best footage ever released. I'm a Raiders fan, 51 years old always thought the ball hit the ground, Franco Harris actually made that play. Fantastic reaction to make that pick 6.

Anyone who says they watched the game on TV in Pittsburgh, is mistaken. The game was blacked out for a 50 mile radius. I lived in New Castle, Pa at the time and got the broadcast from a NBC affiliate from Youngstown, Ohio.

That is the most time I've seen from that game. Thank you so much. I'm a lifelong Steeler fan and I would have loved to have been there. However, I wasn't born yet well a couple of years later. Harris was always one of my favorite players.

Really amazing video being able to see the last 9 minutes of that game. Instead of just the normal 20 seconds highlights. They always make it like that's the year the Steelers went to the super bowl but no that was the year that the Miami dolphins went undefeated. The 72 dolphins.

What an outstanding video this is!!! The camera work for 1972 was actually pretty good. If today with the 1972 rules, there’s no conclusive evidence to overturn the call, which very much appears that Tatum touched it last before Franco caught it. Also what a great team of Curt Gowdy and Al Derogatis broadcasting; both very knowledgeable and thoroughly nice people.

I was 15 when I watched this game, and I have to admit I went crazy when Stabler scrambled for the touchdown to take the lead for Oakland and I thought that was it. This play was 4th and 10 for cryin' out loud!

Wow, thank you for posting, made my saturday morning 😊

Omg, thank you thank you thank you!!! I’ve never seen the rest of this game. Always wondered what happened on the last couple plays.

8 days later, triumph turned to tragedy as we lost the greatest baseball player ever, Roberto Clemente. I still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing on both accounts.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, I was 10 years old & watching this game on TV with my (childhood), friends. The next several years the Steelers built an absolute dynasty.

Wow, this is my first time seeing the full video footage of this miracle play. Thanks for sharing!

Somehow it doesn’t feel right for NBC to run the closing credits over “The Immaculate Reception” with that ridiculous music playing. That being said, This is absolutely incredible footage. I’ve never seen video of the argument at the goal line, the phone call, the extra point, the following kickoff, or the actual last play of the game, the pass from Stabler to Chester. Great job putting this together!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

One of the greatest football plays of all time.

Much prefer these announcers to the likes of RG3 and Romo

It's been 10 years since I last saw a post from you guys. What Happened! It's great to see you guys again!

Curt, like all watching, was so surprised that he initially shouted "picked off!" when it became clear Franco had caught the ball.

Thanks for this video. It clearly shows that this was the correct call. The end zone replay shows Franco catching the ball before it hits the ground. The side view replay shows the ball passing Fuqua and hitting Tatum. There are also many false claims about the rules that if Fuqua touched the ball, Franco couldn't legally catch it. This was not the rule. In the Super Bowl 2 years earlier, there was a similar deflection play. A Johnny U pass went off the finger tips of a Colts receiver into John Mackey's arms who scored a TD. When it was determined that a Cowboys player had also tipped the ball, the catch was ruled legal. Here when Tatum deflects the ball, it is legal for any Steeler to catch it.

RIP Franco. 🙏

I am deeply saddened by the passing of this great man. Looking forward to meeting him in heaven.

This was the Birth of One of the greatest dynasties in the History of team sports

Raiders tried to explore the fact that the elements of the play was incredible. They were too many things that could have gone wrong and it didn’t happen e.g., did the ball touch Fuqua, did the ball touch the ground when Franco caught it and did he step out of bounds. That was not the design of the play and a roll of rare circumstances decided the fate of that play which makes it truly immaculate! Thanks for sharing bro

Rip Franco Harris this is probably the most legendary play in NFL history in his rookie yr in the playoffs at that.

Thank you Franco Harris, Chuck Knoll, Ken Stabler, and John Madden for giving us such great game, that will always be remembered. I’m not here to debate anyone about my opinion about the play. I will say the Stealers definitely benefited.

My Mom was pregnant with me.... What a Throw and Touchdown.... RIP Franco Harris

That was the first Christmas with our new father, 50 years ago yesterday. Their all gone now. I'm the last one standing. I just spent the last 15 minutes crying I just realized it. I miss my mom and dad and brother and sister.

This was so great to see, glad you found this, what was even better was seeing this all the way to the final gun, maybe one the entire game will be available.

I was 7 in Pittsburgh and remember that moment. My dad was watching the game as I opened my new Wacky Packages stickers that Mom just bought for like $1.30 a box. An unopened box now would go for thousands on Ebay

This happened 6 months before I was born. Thank goodness for replay so I can witness it. What a play.

Tatum went for the cheap shot. Franco went for the end zone. Here. We. Go.

It could not have been more obvious that it bounced off of Tatum.

The greatest play in NFL history. I remember watching this game with my Dad. He was a stoic man, but jumped out of his chair after this play.!

I remember watching this game RIP Franco

HOLY COW! With this newly discovered NBC footage, I wonder if the entire NBC broadcast of this game exists and is somewhere in this country?

Awesome find. I believe if you pause at 1:15 as Franco goes into endzone Dan Rooney is standing in the tan colored coat behind the guy in yellow. He said he was about there in his book.

The fact is Franco caught the pass and ran it into the End Zone! Don’t minimize his accomplishment!

50 years later we're still talking about it.

Wow, where did you get this Tim! This is the best, most definitive footage of the "Immaculate Reception" that I have ever seen. This is way better than the Ernst film and the Gerber film, both of which leave you wondering about who the ball initially contacted and whether Franco caught it off the turf. There is now little doubt that the ball was touched by Tatum and that Franco caught it cleanly. Also, I appreciate the inclusion of the phone call to Art McNally and your explanation of the rule that clearly leaves one to conclude that the ruling was legal. Thanks and Merry Christmas, Tim!

RIP Franco Harris...My Sincerest Sympathy to his Family and Friends

Thanks for Sharing!!!!!

AWESOME video!!

This is a lesson in Not Overthinking; a few seconds after the play has happened, the color commentator states the Obvious: The ball ricocheted off John 'Jack' Tatum. Period. The ball never touched John Fuqua. Further, the ball never touched the ground.

Back when you could jump out of the stands and run over and personally congratulate players!😂

The greatest play in NFL history.

That ball hit Jack Tatum and bounced off him first anybody that can’t see that just don’t want to see it.

It makes you have goosebumps if you are a Steelers fan.

yeah we saw it live. he grabbed the ball just inches from the turf on a full run. Tatum was arguing that he never touched the ball but replay showed otherwise. There were several replays including how close that ball came to the turf when Franco grabbed it. There was another replay that showed the ball spin changing when Tatum touched it. Today it doesn't matter who touches the ball or how many times if the offensive player winds up with it its their possession and its as simple as that. Franco Harris. what a class act he was. He was a BIG RB too. this was his rookie year. he was in exactly the right place at the right time. unreal!

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

When Curt Gowdy says he's never seen anything like this, you know this is the beginning of crazy, improbable plays. The next level up is 10 years later when the Cal-Stanford play with the "band on the field." Gowdy was the unofficial sports historian of his time.

50 years to the day, and this is the first time I've seen the rest of the broadcast after the touchdown.

R.I.P. Franco

'Run to the ball!!!' The oldest coaching axiom in football has never paid bigger dividends. Thanks for great footage. The end zone shot pretty much dispels any doubt the ball hit Tatum first.

Fantastic!!!!

I was 12 years old and I still can't believe it. So glad for the Steelers. Franco's Italian Army.

I think what's overlooked about this play is the athleticism on the part of Bradshaw to even release the ball.

I saw this live from Mississippi as it happened as a 16 year old tenth grader, but l always thought the game ended with the immaculate reception. I don’t remember the kickoff after the touchdown.

It would be nice if the nfl showed the whole game broadcast for the 50th year anniversary.