Franco Harris

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored "The Immaculate Reception,'' considered the most iconic play in NFL history, ...

When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the 1978 Super Bowl, Harris basically demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered “Franco who?” when asked about Harris' absence from the team's camp at Saint Vincent College. Harris also made it a habit to stick up for his teammates. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement. “Each player had their strengths and weaknesses, each their own thinking, each their own method, just each, each had their own. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offense go. “Franco not only impacted the game of football, but he also affected the lives of many, many people in profoundly positive ways.” “He was a great person & great teammate. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back Frenchy Fuqua. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back who became famous for 'The Immaculate Reception' that helped transform the Pittsburgh Steelers from also-rans ...

Harris was at the centre of it all. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40-yard line, with only 22 seconds remaining in the game, quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw the ball deep to running back French Fuqua. The Steelers have a half-time ceremony scheduled to retire Harris' No 32 jersey.

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris, who won four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was on the receiving end of the "Immaculate ...

"Franco's legacy in our community will be forever one of joy, victory, and pride in the Steel City," Costa tweeted. "He was a great person & great teammate. "The Hall of Fame and historians everywhere will tell Franco's football story forever. "We have lost an incredible football player, an incredible ambassador to the Hall, and most importantly, we have lost one of the finest gentlemen anyone will ever meet. RIP Franco, thanks for the memories." With the Steelers down 7-6 with 22 seconds to play and fourth-and-10 at their own 40-yard line, quarterback Terry Bradshaw scrambled, then threw a pass intended for John "Frenchy" Fuqua.

Franco Harris, a Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers known one of the most famous plays in American football history and considered one of ...

“Franco was the heart and soul of our team," Steelers Hall of Fame defensive tackle Joe Greene said in the upcoming NFL Network program. The timing was just immaculate," Harris said of the play in the upcoming NFL Network program. “He had so many different styles of running, like a good musician," Blount said in the NFL Network program. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered “Franco who?” when asked about Harris’ absence from the team’s camp at Saint Vincent College. On Friday, the NFL Network is scheduled to air a profile of Harris at 9 p.m. Born in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 7, 1950, Harris played collegiately at Penn State, where his primary job was to open holes for backfield mate Lydell Mitchell. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back French Fuqua. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He played in nine Pro Bowls, five AFC championships and four Super Bowls. “When (Noll) drafted Franco Harris, he gave the offense heart, he gave it discipline, he gave it desire, he gave it the ability to win a championship in Pittsburgh,” Steelers Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann said of his frequent roommate on team road trips. Franco Harris, a Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers known for one of the most famous plays in American football history and considered one of the NFL's most iconic athletes, has died.

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored "The Immaculate Reception," considered the most iconic play in NFL history, ...

When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the 1978 Super Bowl, Harris basically demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. Despite all of his success, his time in Pittsburgh ended acrimoniously when the Steelers cut him after he held out during training camp before the 1984 season. "I don't even think about that (anymore)," Harris said in 2006. Legendary Steelers RB Franco Harris, author of the “Immaculate Reception” - one of the greatest plays in NFL history - has passed away at the age of 72. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. "Each player had their strengths and weaknesses, each their own thinking, each their own method, just each, each had their own. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offence go. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement. "Franco not only impacted the game of football, but he also affected the lives of many, many people in profoundly positive ways." "He was a great person & great teammate. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back Frenchy Fuqua.

Franco Harris, whose heads-up thinking authored "The Immaculate Reception," considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died.

Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered “Franco who?” when asked about Harris’ absence from the team’s camp at Saint Vincent College. When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the 1978 Super Bowl, Harris basically demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. “Each player had their strengths and weaknesses, each their own thinking, each their own method, just each, each had their own. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh’s offense go. Born in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 7, 1950, Harris played collegiately at Penn State, where his primary job was to open holes for backfield mate Lydell Mitchell. It means a lot.” It really says a lot. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back Frenchy Fuqua. “Franco not only impacted the game of football, but he also affected the lives of many, many people in profoundly positive ways.” 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Article content

In the 2000s, the Steelers added to their collection of Vince Lombardi trophies, winning Super Bowls XL and XLIII behind a young quarterback, two passionate ...

The league's Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, Polamalu's player helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls and three AFC titles during a six-year span. Greenwood: A six-time Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champion, Greenwood was the franchise's all-time sack leader until Jason Gildon broke his record in 2003. In that year's Super Bowl, Blount, a physical specimen at the time at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, recorded his third interception in Super Bowl play while helping the Steelers defeat the Cowboys. His two big catches late in Super Bowl XIV sealed the Steelers' victory over the Rams. "Iron" Mike Webster following the tradition of great Steelers centers that was initially established by Ray Mansfield, who started during Pittsburgh's first Super Bowl victory before passing the torch to Webster, who was a rookie on the Steelers' first championship team. Big Ben, the franchise's all-time leader in passing attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns and wins by a starting quarterback, became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl after helping lead the Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL. [Cowboys](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/DAL/dallas-cowboys/) for the second time in Super Bowl competition, while his two touchdowns and 112 all-purpose yards helped the Steelers beat the gritty Rams in Super Bowl XIV. He also became the second player to win two Super Bowl MVP awards while throwing for a combined 627 yards and six touchdowns in Pittsburgh's wins in Super Bowls XIII and XIV. Later that year, he would earn Defensive Player of the Year honors before serving as a key member of the Steelers' final two Super Bowl teams of the decade. His 22-yard touchdown gallup late in Super Bowl XIII helped the Steelers defeat the Greene, a first ballot inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, won two more Super Bowls with the franchise as a member of the team's scouting department. In Super Bowl IX, Greene recorded an interception and a fumble recovery while ending the Steelers' 42-year championship wait.

Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, a dynasty that began in earnest when Harris decided to keep ...

When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the Super Bowl following the 1978 season, Harris basically demanded that Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. Noll, who leaned on Harris so heavily for so long, famously answered “Franco who?” when asked about Harris' absence from the team's camp at Saint Vincent College. He piled up an additional 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene and linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offense go. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement. “He was a great person & great teammate. “It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe Franco Harris’ impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the City of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation,” team President Art Rooney II said in a statement. While nearly everyone else on the field stopped, Harris kept his legs churning, snatching the ball just inches above the Three Rivers Stadium turf near the Oakland 45, then outracing several stunned Raider defenders to give the Steelers their first playoff victory in the franchise's four-decade history. “From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, through the next 50 years, Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from its own 40-yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back Frenchy Fuqua. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The pro football world today is mourning the death of Franco Harris, a man whose football accomplishments and commitment to team and community reached ...

“He was the best of all time. Those community efforts were recognized when Harris was awarded the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 1976. [DAN ROONEY(Opens in a new window)](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/dan-rooney/)told The Canton Repository in August 1990, prior to Harris’ enshrinement. “He never turned you down, regardless of the circumstances. Dubner offered, “I think the Immaculate Reception gained momentum in history because the Steelers then went on to win four Super Bowls in six years. Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll said, “We wanted to be able to run the football. “They (Steelers) had a good, young team but he (Harris) was the missing piece. While there was some debate among ownership, coaches and scouts as to whom the team would select, in hindsight, they selected the only future Pro Football Hall of Famer (Class of 1990) in that year’s draft. Art Rooney Jr., head of the Steelers’ scouting department throughout the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, likened Harris’ arrival to the turning point of U.S. “The Hall of Fame and historians everywhere will tell Franco’s football story forever. Franco not only impacted the game of football, but he also affected the lives of many, many people in profoundly positive ways,” Porter continued. “Harris’s loyalty to friends, and devotion to teammates, might be his most towering quality,” observed author Gary M.

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, ...

When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the 1978 Super Bowl, Harris basically demanded Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. Despite all of his success, his time in Pittsburgh ended acrimoniously when the Steelers cut him after he held out during training camp before the 1984 season. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. He piled up another 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Smith. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement. "It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe Franco Harris' impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the City of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation," Steelers president Art Rooney II said in a statement on Wednesday. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene, linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offense go. "The Hall of Fame and historians everywhere will tell Franco's football story forever. With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from their own 40 yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back French Fuqua. "We have lost an incredible football player, an incredible ambassador to the Hall and, most importantly, we have lost one of the finest gentlemen anyone will ever meet. "From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, through the next 50 years, Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. 32 during a ceremony at halftime of its game against the Las Vegas Raiders on [Christmas Eve](https://www.nfl.com/games/raiders-at-steelers-2022-reg-16).

Harris made the play that became known as the "Immaculate Reception" in 1972 against the Raiders.

Say the name Franco Harris and most everyone talks about the catch, the Super Bowls, and the glory he brought to the game of football. But in the fifty.

This week of all weeks, my family remembers him and keeps him close to our hearts. A small act of kindness that meant the world to us. I had just been elected to the U.S. But in the fifty years we bonded as friends, I always talked about his character and compassion. Art Rooney, the generous and honorable owner of the Steelers, had flown out with a couple of players, including Franco, and the tough as nails Rocky Bleier. Fifty years ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers had just finished a dominant regular season with their first division title.

It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe Franco Harris' impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the ity of Pittsburgh and Steelers ...

A great person. A great player. — Cleveland Indians manager and western Pennsylvania native Terry Francona, who grew up watching Harris in the 1970s. — Penn State football coach James Franklin. I would invite him to places I needed him and our friendship just grew and grew.” — Former Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was covering Harris during the Immaculate Reception. Franco will always be a brother, mentor and my definition of greatness. Thank you for being a role model for us all! Franco always had a smile and a hand shake or a hug for everyone, it seemed. Always smiling. Franco changed the way people thought of the Steelers, of Pittsburgh, and of the NFL. He meant so much to Steelers fans as the Hall of Fame running back who helped form the nucleus of the team’s dynasty of the ’70s, but he was much more. ___

Terry Bradshaw, was among the many left to process the news of the passing of Franco Harris that stunned the football world in Pittsburgh and well beyond.

"It's just a good story. It's just a good story. And Franco and I had just finished shooting a commercial on that play right there." "I find it a little bit prophetic in a sense that this was to be the greatest moment probably in Franco's retirement life," Bradshaw said. "Winning Super Bowls as a team, all of us say that everything we are, everything we have, we got from winning Super Bowls as a team. He called me Brad." "He called me Brad. Bradshaw threw the pass that ended up being a fortunate accident and cemented Harris' place in NFL lore. "He was seriously just a good guy," Bradshaw said Wednesday during an appearance on Good Morning Football. "He never was overtaken. And that's exactly what he did, and that's why he caught that pass. His longtime teammate, Terry Bradshaw, was among the many left to process the news.

The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just before the 50-year anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" play.

“I think that if teams go to a two running back system that they can control the game and their chances of winning really go up. “I think if teams want to win, having a running game is the way to go,” he said. “We couldn't stop them, and the (Ravens’ running game) made a huge difference.” “We had a good running game and great talent, and that took some pressure off of Terry sometimes. “Terry came out harder and opened up the passing game a lot more, as his talent really was able to shine. That dynamic season was followed by a 12-4 run and a 31-19 Super Bowl XIV win over the Los Angeles Rams, in 1979. Harris said that the 1970s Steelers all-hands-on-deck mentality was a key to their success. In all, the Pittsburgh Steelers would be cemented as the NFL’s team of the 1970s and one of a handful of colossus ball clubs. The ball bounced and spun high in the air and fell to Harris, who caught it and ran for a game-winning touchdown. “He said that to everybody, because no matter your position—when the ball comes down—you can throw a block, or if it’s intercepted you can make a tackle. “But I didn’t think about how bad the Steelers had been, and after four years at Penn State I was thinking sunshine, maybe in Miami or L.A.,” Harris said. [can access](https://nflallday.com/?utm_medium=media&utm_source=sportsillustrated&utm_campaign=content_nflad_immaculate&utm_content=francospun_text) the “Immaculate Reception Pack Drop on Tuesday, December 20, for a chance to own one of ten “Ultimate-tier Moments of the Immaculate Reception NFTs by NFL ALL DAY.

Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers running back who caught what became known as the "Immaculate Reception", has died aged 72, the Pro Football Hall of ...

"But in the fifty years we bonded as friends, I always talked about his character and compassion. "Say the name Franco Harris and most everyone talks about the catch, the Super Bowls, and the glory he brought to the game of football," Biden said. "Franco changed the way people thought of the Steelers, of Pittsburgh, and of the NFL."

Some of the reaction following the death of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris:

— Cleveland Indians manager and western Pennsylvania native Terry Francona, who grew up watching Harris in the 1970s. — Penn State football coach James Franklin. Franco will be remembered for his grace, his humility, his kindness and his tremendous contributions to our community. A Pittsburgh icon and a true champion on and off the field. It was a pleasure to just meet him and the way he went about respecting people after him I thought was incredible. I would invite him to places I needed him and our friendship just grew and grew.” — Former Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was covering Harris during the Immaculate Reception. He embraced it all and did it with such grace and class and patience and time for people. May God bless Franco Harris, a dear friend of 50 years and a great American. Franco always had a smile and a hand shake or a hug for everyone, it seemed. He was a great person & great teammate. He meant so much to Steelers fans as the Hall of Fame running back who helped form the nucleus of the team’s dynasty of the ’70s, but he was much more. It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe Franco Harris’ impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the ity of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation.

PITTSBURGH — (AP) — It was never just about football to Franco Harris. It couldn't be. That would have been too limiting. Too easy. A cop out.

Harris never tired of telling — and retelling — the story of the moment that made him an icon, he was typically more than willing to listen. “When those guys spend time with him, they realize that he didn’t want anything from them, he just wanted the absolute best for them,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “It’s hard to go back and think of a better citizen that Pennsylvania has had other than Franco Harris.” Arlen Specter faced a health battle in the late 2000s that briefly raised concerns about Specter's ability to finish his term, Rendell said there was only one name at the top of his list as a potential appointment: Franco Harris. In that moment of sadness, a friendship emerged. ”I’ve never seen a reaction like the reaction Franco got. I would invite him to places I needed him and our friendship just grew and grew.” “People reacted to him like he was Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie,' Rendell said. Sure, there was an element of political expediency for Rendell to align himself with someone immensely popular from Pittsburgh to State College to Scranton. 23, 1972 — plans to be in attendance on Saturday night when the Steelers retire Harris' No. Villapiano knew he and Harris would be forever linked. He would invite me to places he needed me.

Franco Harris's death comes two days before the 50th anniversary of 'The Immaculate Reception,' and three days before the Pittsburgh Steelers are scheduled ...

Mr. All Mr. When Mr. Noll, who leaned on Mr. “I don’t even think about that [any more],” Mr. The “Immaculate Reception” made Mr. Harris immediately, led by two local businessmen who founded what became known as “Franco’s Italian Army,” a nod to Mr. Oakland linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was covering Mr. The Steelers, in the final stages of a rebuild led by Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll, saw enough in Mr. “That play really represents our teams of the ‘70s,” Mr. While nearly everyone else on the field stopped, Mr. Fuqua and Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum collided, sending the ball careening back toward midfield in the direction of Mr.

Harris ran for 12,120 yards and won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s, a dynasty that began in earnest when Harris decided to keep ...

When Bradshaw took what Harris felt was an illegal late hit from Dallas linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson in the second half of their meeting in the Super Bowl following the 1978 season, Harris basically demanded that Bradshaw give him the ball on the next play. He churned for a then-record 158 yards rushing and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 16-6 victory over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX on his way to winning the game's Most Valuable Player award. On a team that featured big personalities in Bradshaw, defensive tackle Joe Greene and linebacker Jack Lambert among others, the intensely quiet Harris spent 12 seasons as the engine that helped Pittsburgh's offense go. He piled up an additional 1,556 yards rushing and 16 rushing touchdowns in the playoffs, both second all-time behind Emmitt Smith. Oakland linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was covering Harris on the play, even attended a 40th-anniversary celebration of the play in 2012, when a small monument commemorating the exact location of Harris’ catch was unveiled. He scored at least once in three of the four Super Bowls he played in, and his 354 career yards rushing on the NFL's biggest stage remains a record nearly four decades after his retirement. "There’s so much to be learned from him in terms of how he conducted himself, how he embraced the responsibilities of being Franco for Steeler Nation, for this community ... With Pittsburgh trailing 7-6 and facing fourth-and-10 from its own 40-yard line and 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Bradshaw drifted back and threw deep to running back Frenchy Fuqua. “It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe Franco Harris’ impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers, his teammates, the City of Pittsburgh and Steelers Nation,” team President Art Rooney II said in a statement. “From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, through the next 50 years, Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. It wasn't uncommon for Harris to stop by the Steelers' practice facility to chat with players who weren't even born before his fateful play. Harris had been busy in the run-up to the celebration, doing media interviews Monday to talk about a moment to which he is forever linked.

Southwestern Pennsylvania mourns 72-year-old Hall of Fame running back whose 'Immaculate Reception' is considered the most iconic play in NFL history.

“He never passed up an appetizer.” “He brought joy and happiness everywhere he went.” Harris had his detractors, to be sure, growing out of his defence of his Penn State coach, Joe Paterno, fired for failing to address the child abuse of assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Two members of the Penn State board of trustees asked not to be interviewed when contacted Wednesday. The word “tragedy” was tossed around like a pigskin in a pregame warm-up. “He helped make me a Steeler fan forever.” “But so many people are leaving Franco reminiscences that today the statue had to be moved.” And when I telephoned the former mayor of Pittsburgh, he picked up the phone and, not knowing the reason for the call, answered not with a “hello” or a greeting but simply with one word: There, a statue of Harris stands beside a statue of George Washington. “We had to,” Bishop David Zubik, who earlier had been bishop of Green Bay, said in an interview. “We had to thank God for his example and for helping all of us see his lessons on how to be humble.” Andrew Carnegie, who built a steel empire, created a string of public libraries and lent his name to a great university.

From his rookie season, which included the Immaculate Reception, through the next 50 years, Franco brought joy to people on and off the field. He never stopped ...

Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris died Wednesday, just days before the 50th anniversary of the "Immaculate Reception," what many ...

](https://twitter.com/wordgrouch/status/1605614360252059651?s=20&t=5_M_o_8GXcvPI68uiPYK1w)"You didn't have to be a Pittsburgh fan to be a #FrancoHarris fan. The original radio broadcast of the play will also be played, according to the Steelers. At halftime, Harris's jersey number 32 will be retired, making him only the third player in Steelers history to receive the honor, the Steelers said. "I had so much fun messing with him about his blocking and catching the ball. 23, 1972 AFC divisional round playoff game between the Steelers and Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh was trailing 7-6 when quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass downfield. The play happened in Harris's rookie year in 1972.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — “The Steeler Way” did not exist at 3:28 p.m. on Dec. 23, 1972. If it had, it would have been synonymous with one thing and one thing...

“And what an honor it was to be a part of that and to contribute to that.” The seemingly yearly two-hour pilgrimage by the locals over to Canton, Ohio, to watch another Steeler enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Setting the foundation for not just a team or a region, but a way. You walk in and you see those six Lombardis and you say, ‘Franco is the real reason (for) that.” “(They) set the way for any player (that came after),“ Heyward said. Listened to every story from those who said they were there, a number that has swelled through the years far past the 59,000 seats at the old Three Rivers Stadium. It was just one of the many charities he dedicated his time to long after he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. As the years wore on, Harris could have tired of talking about his place in NFL lore. To talk about the other things that interested him. “He felt a real burning passion to use that celebrity to bring about change to the people who need it,” former Pennsylvania Gov. To the game. Others posed with the statue that welcomes visitors to the main terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport.