Franco Harris
1950 - 2022
On January 1, 1973, twenty-one year old me awoke to the news that Roberto Clemente had been killed in a plane crash. It took another 49 years, 11 months, and 21 days before any death, including those of family members, came with the shock factor of Clemente's death, but it happened again yesterday when I awoke to the news that Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris had died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 72, four days shy of Christmas and two days prior to the 50th Anniversary, of the play that made him famous and has been voted time and again as the most famous single play in NFL history, The Immaculate Reception. That Harris and the Steelers were to celebrate this Anniversary at a banquet on Friday, and retire Franco's #32 jersey at the game with the Raiders on Saturday only adds to the surreal nature of Harris' death.
I am not going to recount that famous play here. If you are a football fan and are reading this, you already know all about it. However, I cannot make mention of the Immaculate Reception with out making to obligatory statement that I WAS THERE. Attended the game at Three Rivers Stadium - Section 651, Row J, Seats 5-6-7-8 - and I can still see the play unfold right before my eyes.
In watching the NFL Network yesterday morning, a couple of things struck me. The ex-players serving as talking heads on the morning show all admitted that they knew Harris only by reputation, and watching clips. They never saw him actually play. 1984, the year Fraanco retired, was a long time ago. One of those talking heads, however, Jason McCourty, made the excellent point that people need to realize that the Immaculate Reception was no one hit wonder for Franco Harris. He was NFL Rookie of the Year, a multiple time Pro Bowler, a Super Bowl MVP, eight 1,000 yard rushing seasons, and a Walter Payton Man of the Year. He was the third all time leading rusher at the time of his retirement, and today, thirty-eight years after he last played a game, he ranks second all time in NFL post-season rushing yardage.
Franco trounces the Vikings for 158 yards
and a touchdown in Super Bowl IX
More importantly, Steelers fans know that he was the final piece of the puzzle that Chuck Noll put together (Joe Greene and L.C. Greenwood in 1969, Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount in 1970, Jack Ham, Dwight White, and Mike Wagner in 1971 among others). Harris was the first round pick, 13th pick overall, in the 1972 draft, and he became the running back that Noll needed to implement the ball control, run oriented offense that he wanted, and that was necessary in the NFL of that era. With Harris in place, the Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in their forty year history in 1972, and in 1974, they won the Super Bowl for the first time, the first of four such championships in six seasons.
Football fans know all of that. What those outside of Pittsburgh may not know is how Harris stayed in Pittsburgh after his playing days ended, and became an astute businessman and a pillar of the community. No charitable or philanthropic organization ever had Franco Harris say "No" to them when they asked for his assistance or help. The local media has been filled with stories these last two days of people telling stories of how Harris helped out with this charity or spoke to that youth football program banquet or even how he stopped on the road side to lend a hand when their car broke down.
It seems like everyone had a story about an encounter with Franco Harris, so here is mine. One night, probably sometime in the 1990's, I was walking through Northway Mall and there walking right towards me was Franco Harris himself. I said hello, shook his hand, and thanked him for what he gave to us Steelers fans over the years. He was polite, cordial, and acted like I was the first person, and not the one million and first person, to ever say that to him. That night, one of the greatest Steelers and NFL players in history was just like me: a guy wandering aimlessly in a shopping mall while their wives were shopping in one of the stores.
Franco became one of the Steelers greatest ambassadors in his retirement years. He showed up at games and team reunions, and almost always appeared at the NFL Draft to announce one of the Steelers' picks, as he did this past spring when he announced Kenny Pickett at the team's first round pick.
The Steelers may never see his like again.
RIP Franco Harris.
I certainly remember where I was when that play happened and it wasn't in the stadium. I was on an on ramp to the Pa Tpk, Jeanette, rolling one of those big loopy curves and the announcers whose name you'll remember said wait Franco Harris is running with the ball and appears to have caught it. I pulled over to the side of the road and lo and behold folks were stopping all over the place. One more aside: my mother taught at Homestead High School and kids regularly asked her if she were Franco Harris' mom.
ReplyDeleteI am heartbroken. Franco was the epitome of a Pittsburgh Steeler. When I was at Penn State I ran into him and Lydell Mitchell at my pool shooting haunt. They came in and took the table next to mine, and I was awestruck. at the time they were the best RB tandem in the world, and I was too timid to approach them. I just read where they were still business partners in a local Pgh bakery. does not surprise me. Pgh has lost its greatest ambassador...and I will repeat, I am heartbroken.
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