Franco Harris passed away suddenly on Tuesday, and here is to remembering his legacy and what he meant for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
News broke early this morning that Steelers great Franco Harris had passed away at the age of 72. Just days before the anniversary of his Immaculate Reception, the legend was set to be recognized and have his jersey number officially retired at the game on Saturday. As of this writing, the cause of death hasn’t been determined.
This is a blow for everyone in Steelers nation. Harris was a giant of the ’70s dynasty and a fan favorite well past his retirement. He is synonymous with this team’s success, including four Super Bowls spanned over that decade. He leaves behind his wife, Dana Dokmanovich.
Franco Harris was a Steelers legend
Taken in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft, Harris was quick to establish himself as a lynchpin in this offense. He became the lead back in an offense that had lacked an identity for years and set the Steelers record for most rushing yards as a rookie. That was a record that stood until Najee Harris broke it last year.
Harris went on to compile over 12,000 rushing yards and found the end zone 100 total times over his 13-year career, via NFL.com stats. He was elected to nine pro bowls over that span and was a first-team All-Pro in 1977. Harris was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1990 and was an inaugural member of the Steelers Hall of Honor group in 2017.
You also can’t mention Franco Harris without talking about his best-known play. With the score 7-6 with around 30 seconds left in the game, the Steelers attempted to go for it on fourth down. A Terry Bradshaw pass bounced off the colliding Jack Tatum and Frenchy Fuqua before Harris plucked the ball out of the air and rumbled down the sideline for the deciding score.
Consistently ranked the greatest play in NFL history (and for good reason), the Immaculate Reception was set to celebrate its 50th anniversary this Saturday. The Steelers and Raiders had a game scheduled to play and Harris’s number was set to be retired at halftime. Unfortunately, that celebration will now be missing the player that is being honored.
Harris leaves behind a Steelers legacy
This is a hard day to be a fan. Harris was such a figurehead for this team, and losing him, especially this close to this celebration, is nothing short of heartbreaking. That said, remembering him for what he meant to this team is vital in such a sad time.
Harris had strong Pennsylvania ties, playing his collegiate career at Penn State before joining the Steelers when they drafted him. Harris quickly grew to be a fan favorite, and Italian fans were drawn to Harris’s heritage. His fan club became known as Franco’s Italian Army.
Even after Harris retired, he continued to be a spokesperson for the team and a Pittsburgh icon. I fondly remember him announcing the team’s second-round pick at the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland. He came out to a chorus of boos waving his terrible towel and soaking it all in before announcing the team had taken fellow Penn State player Pat Freiermuth with the pick.
All of this culminated with him having his jersey retired, a ceremony that was going to occur this Saturday. The Steelers, to this point, have only ever retired two other jerseys: Ernie Stautner and Joe Greene. It was a monumental announcement that Harris had been chosen as the next jersey to retire.
It is a sad day Steelers nation as we say goodbye to a great. From his illustrious career to his pride in the city after his playing days, Harris will forever be a great to this city and to this football team. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this tough time.