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Immaculate Reception

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delcoLion

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May 29, 2001
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So I’m doing some channel surfing and I hit the NFL network just as they begin showing Franco and the Immaculate Reception.

Now, I’m a South Philly kid and I’ve been an Eagles fan all my life. While at PSU, I made friends from Pittsburgh and I came to adopt the Steelers as my 2nd favorite because I thought that they always gave a PSU kid or a Notre Dame kid a chance.

Franco’s description tonight was something I haven’t seen before and whenever I see this replay, I just can’t help but get a big charge out of it. Easily, the most famous play in NFL history.

I was an official in the IM department during my time at PSU, I did football and hoops. That play got a ton of discussion, obviously,
Back then, 2 offensive players could not touch the ball consecutively. Our IM supervisor said that the reason the play was allowed was because the Oakland player provided the impetus to the ball forcing it backward, therefore, the catch was legal. I had enough trouble with the IM rules to tell the truth but that was an interesting take on the play.
 
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delcoLion said:
So I’m doing some channel surfing and I hit the NFL network just as they begin showing Franco and the Immaculate Reception.

Now, I’m a South Philly kid and I’ve been an Eagles fan all my life. While at PSU, I made friends from Pittsburgh and I came to adopt the Steelers as my 2nd favorite because I thought that they always gave a PSU kid or a Notre Dame kid a chance.

Franco’s description tonight was something I haven’t seen before and whenever I see this replay, I just can’t help but get a big charge out of it. Easily, the most famous play in NFL history.

I was an official in the IM department during my time at PSU, I did football and hoops. That play got a ton of discussion, obviously,
Back then, 2 offensive players could not touch the ball consecutively. Our IM supervisor said that the reason the play was allowed was because the Oakland player provided the impetus to the ball forcing it backward, therefore, the catch was legal. I had enough trouble with the IM rules to tell the truth but that was an interesting take on the play.
Click to expand...

I remember seeing something a while ago where one of the officials said they got on the phone with a Three Rivers Stadium official. They asked how much security they could provide because they were going to rule it was touched by Frenchy Fuqua so it was an illegal catch by Franco and they were going to disallow the TD. Whatever the number of security people was not enough because they cake back from the phone call and ruled TD!!!! No idea if that story is true but I can certainly believe it given the scene at Three Rivers that day.
 
And the Steelers lost the following week to the Dolphins.

So it was all for naught. It just delayed the inevitable that year.

Not really sure it was the most famous play in NF history. It’s embedded in the minds of the Yinzers. But beyond that -not so much.
 
delcoLion said:
So I’m doing some channel surfing and I hit the NFL network just as they begin showing Franco and the Immaculate Reception.

Now, I’m a South Philly kid and I’ve been an Eagles fan all my life. While at PSU, I made friends from Pittsburgh and I came to adopt the Steelers as my 2nd favorite because I thought that they always gave a PSU kid or a Notre Dame kid a chance.

Franco’s description tonight was something I haven’t seen before and whenever I see this replay, I just can’t help but get a big charge out of it. Easily, the most famous play in NFL history.

I was an official in the IM department during my time at PSU, I did football and hoops. That play got a ton of discussion, obviously,
Back then, 2 offensive players could not touch the ball consecutively. Our IM supervisor said that the reason the play was allowed was because the Oakland player provided the impetus to the ball forcing it backward, therefore, the catch was legal. I had enough trouble with the IM rules to tell the truth but that was an interesting take on the play.
Click to expand...
People who wanted Pittsburgh to win see it hitting Tatum...people who wanted Oakland see it hitting Fuqua. The video is crap and no really good angles. Nowadays it would be in high def with seven thousand angles.
 
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psuro said:
And the Steelers lost the following week to the Dolphins.

So it was all for naught. It just delayed the inevitable that year.

Not really sure it was the most famous play in NF history. It’s embedded in the minds of the Yinzers. But beyond that -not so much.
Click to expand...
They lost that battle with the Dolphins, but came back to win some wars.

Francos-Italian-Army_2003.166.6.jpg
 
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psuro said:
And the Steelers lost the following week to the Dolphins.

So it was all for naught. It just delayed the inevitable that year.

Not really sure it was the most famous play in NF history. It’s embedded in the minds of the Yinzers. But beyond that -not so much.
Click to expand...
Wrong again ‘Ro...what would be a more famous play? Set aside your anti-Burgh bias.
 
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stormingnorm said:
About as easy a call as an official could have (the ball certainly didn’t ricochet 20 feet backwards, off of the outstretched hands of Fuqua :) ) ....... but nothing takes on a life of its own quite like Fan Boy “true stories”
Click to expand...
It certainly could have if Tatum knocked Fuqua into the ball.
 
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MacNit07 said:
Wrong again ‘Ro...what would be a more famous play? Set aside your anti-Burgh bias.
Click to expand...


Maybe the Joe Montana TD pass to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone in one of the Super Bowls?

Can’t immediately think of any other play that would be in the conversation.....
 
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ILLINOISLION said:
Maybe the Joe Montana TD pass to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone in one of the Super Bowls?

Can’t immediately think of any other play that would be in the conversation.....
Click to expand...
Certainly in the conversation (NFC Championship though). James Harrison’s Int return on last play of 1st half of Super Bowl is up there too. But immaculate reception is clear #1.
 
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MacNit07 said:
Certainly in the conversation (NFC Championship though). James Harrison’s Int return on last play of 1st half of Super Bowl is up there too. But immaculate reception is clear #1.
Click to expand...

Or Santonio Holmes' toe-tap TD catch to win that Super Bowl vs Arizona. There have been many other great plays, but the Immaculate Reception continues to stand out and continues to be talked about.
 
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Last edited:
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psuro said:
And the Steelers lost the following week to the Dolphins.

So it was all for naught. It just delayed the inevitable that year.

Not really sure it was the most famous play in NF history. It’s embedded in the minds of the Yinzers. But beyond that -not so much.
Click to expand...

You're just a wet blanket when it comes to reality.

Boo-who psuro!

It was ranked the #1 play for a reason!

Geesh!

Come on Man! I still luv ya but our relationship just took a big hit sir.
 
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Side observation after watching some of these great plays...

Cool: SF playing at Candlestick Park
Not Cool: playing at that dungarees stadium
 
TheGLOV said:
You're just a wet blanket when it comes to reality.

Boo-who psuro!

It was ranked the #1 play for a reason!

Geesh!

Come on Man! I still luv ya but our relationship just took a big hit sir.
Click to expand...
Good guy, but yeah, he does have an irrational hate for all things Pittsburgh.
 
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ILLINOISLION said:
Maybe the Joe Montana TD pass to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone in one of the Super Bowls?

Can’t immediately think of any other play that would be in the conversation.....
Click to expand...
really??


put the NFL into prime time. go to the 15:37 mark
 
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Hard to say for sure, but if you look at the slow mo from this video it looks like it hits Tatum first. No one will ever know if Frenchy touched the ball, but I don't think there's any doubt that it hit Tatum.

 
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Madsol said:
I remember seeing something a while ago where one of the officials said they got on the phone with a Three Rivers Stadium official. They asked how much security they could provide because they were going to rule it was touched by Frenchy Fuqua so it was an illegal catch by Franco and they were going to disallow the TD. Whatever the number of security people was not enough because they cake back from the phone call and ruled TD!!!! No idea if that story is true but I can certainly believe it given the scene at Three Rivers that day.
Click to expand...


Wow! That was a joke from years ago
 
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May not be first, but I’ll give a he’ll yeah to Malcolm Butler!!! That was a tremendous play by the rookie cb
 
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