Harmon Wages: ‘God gave me a break’

Football

The three touchdowns that Harmon Wages threw for, ran for and caught in a 1969 game against New Orleans were hardly a fluke.

It was all planned.

Norm Van Brocklin was the Falcons coach and both teams were headed into the final game of the season when the NFL still played only 14 games. Both teams were 5-8.

Wages was very close with his father Leon and Van Brocklin, who was never a gentle type, knew this. He also knew that due to Leon Wages’ delicate medical condition, this would probably be the last time the father would get to see his son play in person.

The record-setting game was played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and Wages, then in his second season with the Falcons, said, “Van…