December 23 is a momentous day in Pittsburgh Steelers history. It’s of course the anniversary of not only the franchise’s first postseason victory, but also the date of the most iconic play in the history of the game. All that, and it also marks really the origin of the great rivalry between the Steelers and the Raiders, now in Las Vegas, but long in Oakland.
The Steelers put in a request to have the opportunity to play the Raiders as close as possible to the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, and the NFL was more than happy to oblige.