Late Franco Harris Revealed His Mother’s Reaction to ‘Immaculate Reception’

Dok Harris, Harris’ son, told The Associated Press that his father died overnight, there was no mention of a cause of death. His passing comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the play that catapulted the Steelers from obscurity to the NFL’s top.

The Steelers were also set to honor his No. 32 at a halftime ceremony against the Las Vegas Raiders. Harris rushed for 12,120 yards and four Super Bowl championships with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s.

A dynasty began after Harris elected to keep going following a last-second attempt by Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972.

“That play definitely reflects our 1970s teams,” Harris stated after the “Immaculate Reception” was chosen the greatest play in NFL history for the league’s 100th anniversary season in 2020. Harris also revealed his mother’s reaction after the ‘Immaculate Reception’.

“My mom calmly said ‘I know'”, Franco Harris while describing the reaction of his family and the feelings and thoughts in his head during the ‘Immaculate Reception’ in an interview.

“The timing was just… immaculate.”

Franco Harris reliving the Immaculate Reception is everything. 🖤💛 (via @NFLFilms) pic.twitter.com/G2tt8SS2dO

— NFL (@NFL) December 23, 2022

With Pittsburgh behind 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line with 22 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drew back and hit running back French Fuqua for a touchdown. Fuqua collided with Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum, sending the ball spiraling back toward midfield and toward Harris.

While practically everyone else on the field came to a halt, Harris kept running, scooping the ball just inches above the Three Rivers Stadium ground around the Oakland 45 and outracing several startled Raider defenders to give the Steelers their first playoff victory in the franchise’s four-decade existence.