On December 23, 1972, Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie Franco Harris made a miraculous touchdown catch that jump-started  a dynesty. It was considered the greatest play in NFL history. In 1972, Harris rushed for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns, won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and captivated Steelers faithful everywhere. "Franco's Italian Army" was formed to cheer on Harris, the product of an African American father and Italian American mother.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     At Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh on December 23, 1972, the Steelers met the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the playoffs. Led by their bold, Brooklyn-born owner Al Davis, the Raiders were formidable on offense. The Steelers' offense, meanwhile relied on a grind-it-out approach led by Terry Bradshaw and Harris. Both teams featured punishing defenses. Late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers led 6-0, on field goals by Roy Gerela. With 1 minute and 17 seconds left, Oakland quarterback Kenny "the snake" Stabler ran 30 yards for the tying score. The extra point by 45-year-old George Blanda gave Oakland the lead.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 On the final possession, Pittsburgh faced a fourth and 10 from its 40-yard line with 22 seconds left and no timeouts left. Pittsburgh radio play-by-play man Jack Fleming described what happened next:   "Bradshaw's running out of the pocket, looking for somebody to throw to...He fires it downfield, and there's a collision! It's caught out of the air! The ball is pulled in by Franco Harris! Harris is going for a touchdown for Pittsburgh!" Harris, who caught it inches off the turf ran down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown. Pittsburgh won, 13-7. In 1990, Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He passed away December 20, 2022 at 72.