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Steelers unveil Immaculate Reception monument at site of play at Three Rivers Stadium

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris stands on the spot of the "Immaculate Reception" after a marker commemorating the 40th anniversary of the play was unveiled where Three Rivers Stadium once stood on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. It is the 40th anniversary of the play in which Harris caught a deflected Terry Bradshaw pass intended for Steelers running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua, and returned it 42 yards for a game winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (The Associated Press)

Hall of Fame running back, Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris, left, and fellow running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua unveil a marker commemorating the 40th anniversary of Harris' "Immaculate Reception" at the sight of the catch on the Northside of Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. It is the 40th anniversary of the play in which Harris caught a deflected Terry Bradshaw pass intended for Fuqua, and returned it 42 yards for a game winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (The Associated Press)

Franco Harris and former Pittsburgh Steelers teammates ignored chilly conditions Saturday during a ceremony unveiling a monument on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.

At a tent adjacent to Heinz Field on Saturday, the monument was unveiled at the exact site of Harris' famous touchdown catch at Three Rivers Stadium on the final play of a 13-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders in an AFC playoff game on Dec. 23, 1972.

"Isn't this beautiful, guys?" Harris said to the festive crowd. "That play really represents our teams of the '70s."

It was a defining moment in the NFL and sparked the Steelers to a run of four Super Bowl titles from 1972-79. They went on to win two more in 2006 and '09.

It is the third monument commissioned by the Heinz History Center acknowledging the Immaculate Reception. The others include life-size statues of Harris making his catch at Pittsburgh International Airport and at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.