The Steelers will play their third Christmas Day game in their franchise history on Wednesday. With their opponent looking to secure the first seed in AFC and the Steelers looking to stay ahead of Baltimore for the division crown. Pittsburgh could use another Christmas Miracle as they have experienced before a couple of times.
Fifty-two years ago on Monday, the NBC crew called a “Christmas Miracle” in the 1972 Divisional Round Playoffs. Franco Harris, the first-round rookie out of Penn State, sparked a dynasty with the Immaculate Reception.
Fifty years later on Christmas Eve 2022, Pittsburgh celebrated the Immaculate Reception and the life of Franco Harris. Down 10-6 late in the fourth-quarter, quarterback Kenny Pickett led the Steelers on a 10-play, 76-yard drive capped off by a touchdown pass to George Pickens. Since the 2002 realignment, the Steelers are 3-1 in Christmas Eve games.
Despite these memorable matchups, Pittsburgh did not actually play a Christmas Day game until their first one in 2016. In a matchup with the AFC North foe Ravens, the Steelers looked to seal the division with a win. Down 24-27 late, Ben Roethlisberger led another 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive.
The play to cap it off? Roethlisberger threw a pass short of the goal line to Antonio Brown. Brown then powered through three Ravens defenders draping over him and extended the ball across the goal line. The play ultimately won Pittsburgh the division and became dubbed the “Immaculate Extension.”
The following season, Pittsburgh didn’t need much of a miracle. They traveled to Houston to take on the Texans, winning decisively 34-6 and moving the Steelers to 2-0 all-time on Christmas Day. The win also secured the second seed in the AFC playoffs for the Steelers.
The Steelers will be playing their third Christmas Day game when the Chiefs visit on Wednesday. The time frame is equivalent to a Thursday game since the Steelers played on Saturday. However, with multiple injuries to key players and little time to acclimate their replacements, Pittsburgh may need some Christmas magic to keep ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North.