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In interview hours earlier than his dying, Franco Harris says ‘Immaculate Reception’ play ‘blows my thoughts’ | CNN

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In interview hours earlier than his dying, Franco Harris says ‘Immaculate Reception’ play ‘blows my thoughts’ | CNN



CNN
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Fifty years after the “Immaculate Reception” and simply hours earlier than his dying, Franco Harris stated it “blows my thoughts” how he pulled off arguably probably the most memorable play in NFL historical past.

In a dwell interview Tuesday on “Mad Canine Unleashed” on SiriusXM radio, Harris recalled December 23, 1972, when he caught a deflected move simply earlier than it hit the bottom and ran for a playoff game-winning landing to guide his Pittsburgh Steelers over the Oakland Raiders.

Harris stated his task was to dam however he wound up going out for a move when the fourth-down play broke down with 22 seconds left within the recreation.

“You understand what, after I watch the movie I can’t keep in mind something of the play previous simply leaving the backfield,” Harris advised host Christopher “Mad Canine” Russo. “However after I see the movie, and I see it in actual time, it simply blows my thoughts how fast that’s … And I do not know how I reacted so shortly, and obtained it and saved in stride. And even appeared up a bit bit to try to get the lay of the land … I’m saying, ‘How did all that occur in simply these few seconds?’ It didn’t make any sense. Like, I simply don’t perceive it.”

Harris died simply days earlier than the fiftieth anniversary of the catch, and the Steelers had deliberate to retire his No. 32 jersey throughout halftime of their recreation towards the Raiders on Saturday.

The NFL Community in 2019 named the Immaculate Reception the highest play within the 100 years of the league.

The play was not with out controversy: There have been no convincing replays to find out who deflected the ball when two opposing gamers collided and whether or not the ball really hit the bottom when Harris caught it.

Within the interview, Russo stated some consider that the nostril of the soccer hit the turf, “However you’re saying that’s not the case, right?”

“I do not know, I do not know,” Harris stated. “I keep in mind nothing. That’s what baffles me…”

Russo famous Harris was “a great distance away from the place the ball ricocheted.” If one other Steeler had touched the ball, Harris’ catch wouldn’t have been authorized.

“I’ve no recollection of seeing the ball in any respect,” Harris stated. “I’ve no visible of the ball. I’ve no recollection. However have a look at … how briskly it got here again.”

Harry Cabluck/AP

Trying on the movie, Harris says, “I’m pondering that it might solely have been” Raiders defender Jack Tatum “that the ball bounced off of” earlier than Harris made the shoestring catch. Tatum had collided with Steelers fullback Frenchy Fuqua.

In explaining how he made the play, Harris famous that he “at all times had nice reflexes however you don’t follow stuff like this. … So it form of blows my thoughts.”

The Steelers gained the sport 13-7 for the group’s first-ever playoff victory however misplaced their subsequent recreation. Nonetheless, the group went on to dominate the Seventies, successful 4 Tremendous Bowls.

Russo, the host, opened the interview by asking, “How are you at this time, OK pal?” It was seemingly the final interview Harris did earlier than his dying was introduced on Wednesday. His reason behind dying was not offered.

“Doing nice. Improbable,” Harris stated, although he was coughing right here and there. “And, like as you stated, 50 years in the past, and, and it nonetheless feels model new.”

Harris then went on to speak concerning the game-winning drive, the way it began off poorly and left the Steelers in a determined spot.

“So, issues didn’t go too effectively on these first three performs, as . After which it will get right down to fourth down. A protracted approach to go. 22 seconds.

And I am going into the huddle and I inform myself, ‘Franco, it will most likely be the final play of the season. It was a great season. Simply play it until the tip.’

And (the coach) referred to as that 66 halfback possibility.”

Harris’ task was to remain in and block.

He recalled that “there wasn’t a lot … adrenaline” within the huddle.

We have been successful the entire recreation and proper on the finish (the Raiders) scored. It appeared extra of a letdown than something.”

Harris joined the Seattle Seahawks in 1984.

Russo famous that Harris “did block effectively” on the play and observed that quarterback Terry Bradshaw was scrambling beneath stress from the protection.

“My thought was to launch to be an outlet move,” Harris stated. “And Bradshaw, being as, , massive and as robust as he’s, , guys attempting to convey him down, he’s in a position to combat them off and get the ball into the air.”

Harris stated when the ball was within the air, “I inform myself, proper, I inform myself ‘Go to the ball, go to the ball.’”

Harris stated that was his intuition as a result of that was what he was taught as a working again in faculty, beneath Joe Paterno at Penn State College.

“That’s what Joe preached to us all 4 years at Penn State. You understand, at all times go to the ball … And so I begin taking some steps to the ball and I keep in mind nothing after that… which blows my thoughts, that I’ve no visible, no recollection of something till I’m stiff arming (Raiders defender) Jimmy Warren, going into the tip zone.”

Harris famous how vital it was that he didn’t dive for the ball. In these days when a participant hits the bottom whereas possessing the ball, he was formally down and couldn’t advance it.

“How fortunate am I that I used to be acutely aware that, , catch it that low with out diving for it,” Harris stated.

Harris stated that after the gamers collided and the ball deflected into the air, a few of the Raiders began to clap and rejoice.

“And the Raiders cease, only for a number of seconds, and that few seconds that they stopped gave me the top begin to get into the tip zone.”

All these years later, when some old-time Raiders nonetheless assert that the catch wasn’t a authorized catch, Harris says he pays it no thoughts.

“As a matter of reality,” Harris stated, “I really feel good that they’re nonetheless sulking about that.”