PITTSBURGH — Franco Harris, the Corridor of Fame working again whose heads-up considering authored the “Immaculate Reception,” thought-about probably the most iconic play in NFL historical past, has died. He was 72.
Harris’ son, Dok, instructed The Related Press his father died in a single day. No explanation for dying was given.
His dying comes two days earlier than the fiftieth anniversary of the play that offered the jolt that helped remodel the Pittsburgh Steelers from also-rans into NFL elite and three days earlier than the crew is scheduled to retire his No. 32 throughout a ceremony at halftime of its sport in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“It’s troublesome to seek out the suitable phrases to explain Franco Harris’ affect on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the Metropolis of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation,” stated Steelers president Artwork Rooney II in a press release. “From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, via the subsequent 50 years, Franco introduced pleasure to individuals on and off the sphere. He by no means stopped giving again in so some ways. He touched so many, and he was liked by so many. Our ideas and prayers are along with his spouse Dana, his son Dok, and his prolonged household at this troublesome time.”
Harris ran for 12,120 yards and gained 4 Tremendous Bowl rings with the Steelers within the Seventies, a dynasty that started in earnest when Harris determined to maintain working throughout a last-second heave by Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff sport in opposition to Oakland in 1972.
With the Steelers trailing 7-6 and dealing with fourth-and-10 from its personal 40-yard line and 22 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted again and threw deep to working again John “Frenchy” Fuqua. Fuqua and Oakland defensive again Jack Tatum collided, sending the ball careening again towards midfield within the path of Harris.
Whereas practically everybody else on the sphere stopped, Harris stored his legs churning, snatching the ball simply inches above the Three Rivers Stadium turf close to the Oakland 45, then outracing a number of shocked Raiders defenders to present the Steelers their first playoff victory within the franchise’s four-decade historical past.
“That play actually represents our groups of the ’70s,” Harris stated after the Immaculate Reception was voted the best play in NFL historical past in the course of the league’s one centesimal anniversary season in 2020.
Whereas the Steelers fell the subsequent week to Miami within the AFC Championship Recreation, Pittsburgh was on its option to turning into the dominant crew of the Seventies, twice successful back-to-back Tremendous Bowls, first after the 1974 and 1975 seasons and once more after the 1978 and 1979 seasons.
“We’re shocked and saddened to be taught of the sudden passing of Franco Harris,” stated NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in a press release. “He meant a lot to Steelers followers because the Corridor of Fame working again who helped type the nucleus of the crew’s dynasty of the ’70s, however he was far more. He was a delicate soul who touched so many within the Pittsburgh group and all through the whole NFL. Franco modified the best way individuals considered the Steelers, of Pittsburgh, and of the NFL. He’ll ceaselessly stay within the hearts of Steelers followers all over the place, his teammates, and town of Pittsburgh. Our condolences exit to his spouse, Dana, and their son, Dok.”
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin expressed his admiration for Harris saying, partially, “There’s a lot to be realized from him by way of how he carried out himself, how he embraced the obligations of being Franco for Steeler nation, for this group, for Penn State followers. He embraced all of it and did it with such grace and sophistication and endurance and time for individuals.”
“For as many accolades as he received, he all the time deflected to so many different individuals,” stated line of defense captain Cam Heyward, who spoke with Harris on Tuesday afternoon on his podcast. “The best way he went about respecting individuals after him was unimaginable. … He all the time had the utmost respect for each participant, each particular person within the metropolis. There was only a degree of humility if you discuss to Franco. We misplaced a very good one in the present day.”
Harris, a 6-foot-2, 230-pounder from Penn State, discovered himself within the middle of all of it. He churned for a then-record 158 yards speeding and a landing in Pittsburgh’s 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Tremendous Bowl IX on his option to successful the sport’s Most Invaluable Participant award. He scored a minimum of as soon as in three of the 4 Tremendous Bowls he performed in, and his 354 profession yards speeding on the NFL’s greatest stage stays a document practically 4 many years after his retirement.
Born in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 7, 1950, Harris performed collegiately at Penn State, the place his main job was to open holes for backfield mate Lydell Mitchell. The Steelers, within the closing levels of a rebuild led by Corridor of Fame coach Chuck Noll, noticed sufficient in Harris to make him the thirteenth total decide within the 1972 NFL draft.
“When [Noll] drafted Franco Harris, he gave the offense coronary heart, he gave it self-discipline, he gave it need, he gave it the power to win a championship in Pittsburgh,” Steelers Corridor of Fame vast receiver Lynn Swann stated of his frequent roommate on crew highway journeys.
Harris’ affect was instant. He gained the NFL’s Rookie of the Yr award in 1972 after speeding for a then-team-rookie document 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns because the Steelers reached the postseason for simply the second time in franchise historical past.
The town’s massive Italian American inhabitants embraced Harris instantly, led by two native businessmen who based what grew to become often known as “Franco’s Italian Military,” a nod to Harris’ roots because the son of an African American father and an Italian mom.
The Immaculate Reception made Harris a star, although he sometimes most well-liked to let his play and never his mouth do the speaking. On a crew that featured huge personalities in Bradshaw, defensive deal with Joe Greene and linebacker Jack Lambert, amongst others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons because the engine that helped Pittsburgh’s offense go.
Eight occasions he topped 1,000 yards speeding in a season, together with 5 occasions whereas enjoying a 14-game schedule. He piled up one other 1,556 yards speeding and 16 speeding touchdowns within the playoffs, each second all time behind Emmitt Smith.
Regardless of his gaudy numbers, Harris harassed that he was only one cog in a rare machine.
“You see, throughout that period, every participant introduced their very own little piece with them to make that fantastic decade occur,” Harris stated throughout his Corridor of Fame speech in 1990. “Every participant had their strengths and weaknesses, every their very own considering, every their very own methodology, simply every, every had their very own. However then it was wonderful, all of it got here collectively, and it stayed collectively to forge the best crew of all occasions.”
Harris additionally made it a behavior to stay up for his teammates. When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an unlawful late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson within the second half of their assembly within the 1978 Tremendous Bowl, Harris mainly demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the subsequent play. All Harris did was dash up the center 22 yards — proper by Henderson — for a landing that gave the Steelers an 11-point lead they might not relinquish on their option to their third championship in six years.
Regardless of all of Harris’ success, his time in Pittsburgh ended acrimoniously when the Steelers reduce him after he held out throughout coaching camp earlier than the 1984 season. Noll, who leaned on Harris so closely for therefore lengthy, famously answered “Franco who?” when requested about Harris’ absence from camp at Saint Vincent School.
Harris signed with Seattle, working for simply 170 yards in eight video games earlier than being launched in midseason. He retired because the NFL’s third-leading profession rusher behind Walter Payton and Jim Brown.
“I do not even take into consideration that [anymore],” Harris stated in 2006. “I am nonetheless black and gold.”
Harris remained in Pittsburgh after his retirement, opening a bakery and turning into closely concerned in a number of charities, together with serving because the chairman of “Pittsburgh Promise,” which gives faculty scholarship alternatives for Pittsburgh Public Faculty college students.
Pat Freiermuth, fellow Penn State alum who was introduced on the 2021 NFL draft by Harris recalled going to dinners with him and spending time with him on the spring sport at Penn State. “It is unhappy waking as much as the information this morning, particularly with this weekend developing,” Freiermuth stated referencing plans to honor Franco’s iconic NFL catch. “He may not be there in particular person, however he’s gonna be there in heaven.”
Harris is survived by his spouse, Dana Dokmanovich, and his son, Dok.
Info from The Related Press was used on this report.