Program Cover: 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff
On Dec. 23, 1972 the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders met in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game. Facing a fourth-and-ten, the Steelers trailed the Raiders 7-6 with 22 seconds remaining on the clock. Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw dropped back to pass and saw running back John (Frenchy) Fuqua over the middle.
Fuqua, Raiders safety Jack Tatum and the ball converged simultaneously, and out popped the ball. Rookie running back Franco Harris, trailing the play, had picked the ball out of the air at his shoe tops and taken off down the left sideline. The play became known as the "Immaculate Reception."
This is the program cover from the game.
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The official account of ’72 AFC Divisional Playoff
The official play-by-play account of the “Immaculate Reception.
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The first playoff game
In 1932, the Portsmouth Spartans and the Chicago Bears finished their regularly scheduled games tied for first place. So, for the first time in NFL history, a one-game playoff was staged on Dec. 18, 1932, to determine the league champion.