No. 89, 81 | |||||||||
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Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S. | September 24, 1950||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 232 lb (105 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Tucker (Tucker, Georgia) | ||||||||
College: | Clemson | ||||||||
NFL draft: | 1972 / round: 3 / pick: 63 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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John Garvin McMakin (born September 24, 1950) is an American former professional football tight end who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1972 to 1976 for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. His brother, David McMakin, was an Alabama player from 1971 to 1973 under legendary coach, Paul "Bear" Bryant. He was a member of the Steelers first World Championship, Super Bowl IX over the Minnesota Vikings. [1] He was the Steelers' 3rd round draft pick in the 1972 NFL draft. [2] [3]
McMakin played a role in one of the most famous plays in football history, the Immaculate Reception. In a 1972 playoff game between the Steelers and Oakland Raiders, the Raiders were leading 7-6 with a few seconds left. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass to John Fuqua that deflected off either Fuqua, Raider safety Jack Tatum or both, and was caught by Steeler running back Franco Harris who ran for the winning touchdown. The main controversy of the play was whether ball hit Tatum or not; under the rules of the time Harris' catch would have been illegal if it had not. But another point of controversy was McMakin's block from behind on Raider linebacker Phil Villapiano which helped free Harris for the touchdown. Villapiano has always maintained that the block was an illegal clip and so even if the catch was legal the touchdown should have been called back. [4] [5] [6] [7]
McMakin's pro career ended when he was waived by the Seahawks prior to the 1977 season after the Seahawks acquired tight end John Sawyer from the Houston Oilers. [8]
Super Bowl XI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Oakland Raiders and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for its 1976 season. The Raiders defeated the Vikings by the score of 32–14 to win their first Super Bowl. The game was played on January 9, 1977, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. This remains the earliest scheduled calendar date for a Super Bowl; and the most recent Super Bowl to begin before 4:00 p.m. ET.
The Immaculate Reception is one of the most famous plays in the history of American gridiron football. It occurred in the AFC divisional playoff game of the National Football League (NFL), between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 23, 1972.
Franco Harris was an American professional football player who was a running back for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1972 NFL draft. Harris spent his first 12 seasons with Pittsburgh, earning nine Pro Bowl selections, and was a member of the Seattle Seahawks in his last.
Clifford Branch Jr. was an American professional football wide receiver who played for the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders during his entire 14-year National Football League (NFL) career. He won three NFL championships with the Raiders in Super Bowl XI, XV, and XVIII. He was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL draft after playing college football for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
John David Tatum was an American professional football safety who played 10 seasons, from 1971 through 1980 with the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Oilers in the National Football League (NFL). He was popularly known as "the Assassin" because of his playing style. Tatum was voted to three consecutive Pro Bowls (1973–1975) and played on one Super Bowl-winning team in nine seasons with the Raiders. He's also known for a hit he made against New England Patriots wide receiver Darryl Stingley in a 1978 preseason game that paralyzed Stingley from the neck down. He won a national championship at Ohio State.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1972 season began on December 23, 1972. The postseason tournament concluded with the Miami Dolphins defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII, 14–7, on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, becoming the only NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1975 season began on December 27, 1975. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X, 21–17, on January 18, 1976, at the Orange Bowl in Miami.
John William Fuqua, nicknamed "Frenchy", is an American former professional football running back who played from 1969 to 1976, for the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) and the New York Stars of the World Football League (WFL).
George Henry Atkinson II is an American former professional football player who was a safety and return specialist for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1968 to 1977. He played college football at Morris Brown and was selected by the Raiders in the seventh round of the 1968 NFL/AFL draft.
Philip James Villapiano is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Bowling Green Falcons.
The 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 40th in the National Football League.
Fred Swearingen was a former official in the National Football League (NFL), serving as both a referee and field judge from 1960 through 1980. He wore uniform number 21 for the majority of his career. He worked Super Bowl XIII as a field judge, where he called a controversial pass interference against the Dallas Cowboys' Benny Barnes.
Luke Michael Willson is a Canadian former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL).
Jesse Dylan James is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at Penn State, and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders.
Austin Manuel Hooper is an American professional football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Nick Vannett is an American professional football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) He played college football at Ohio State and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He has also been a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Chargers.
Will Dissly is an American professional football tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Dissly was Montana's Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2013.
Noah Fant is an American professional football tight end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
George Malik Pickens Jr. is an American professional football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.
The 1975 AFC Championship Game was the sixth title game of the American Football Conference (AFC). Played on January 4, 1976, the game was hosted by the AFC Central champion and defending AFC and Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers who, in a rematch of the 1974 title game, played the AFC West champion Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Along with the 1975 NFC Championship Game played on the same day, this game constituted the penultimate round of the 1975–76 NFL playoffs which had followed the 1975 regular season of the National Football League (NFL).