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Franco Harris, Steelers Hall of Fame running back, dies at 72

Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972 through 1983, has died at the age of 72.

“Franco was the heart and soul of our team. When Franco arrived, we became the Pittsburgh Steelers.” – Joe Greene

Franco Harris, the legendary running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972 though 1983. has died at the age of 72. Harris’ son Dok told the Associated Press that his father passed away overnight. No cause of death was given.

Selected with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1972 draft out of Penn State, Harris won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors from AP, UPI, and the Sporting News. He saved the most remarkable moment of his rookie season for Pittsburgh’s divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders on December 23, 1972.

With 22 seconds left in the game, the Raiders up 7-6, and the Steelers facing fourth-and-10 at their own 40-yard line, Terry Bradshaw threw over the middle to running back John “Frenchy” Fuqua. Raiders safety Jack Tatum hit Fuqua hard as the ball came in, and what seemed like a game-ending deflection was about to happen.

Until Harris somehow picked the ball out of the air, just before it hit the ground, and ran for the game-winning touchdown. Thus, the “Immaculate Reception” was born.

“If I was one step later, if I was one step faster, it never would have happened. The timing was just immaculate.'” – Franco Harris

The Steelers lost the next week to the eventually undefeated Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship game, but as Joe Greene intimated, the Steelers were on their way to a dynasty, and Harris was one of the big pieces of that reign of excellence. He was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl IX, the first Super Bowl the Steelers won, running 34 times for 158 yards and a touchdown. Harris was a key factor for the Steelers teams that won four Super Bowls between the 1974 and 1979 seasons, becoming the team of the decade, and one of the most formidable franchises in a short space of time in pro football history.

Not that Harris saved all of his best work for the postseason. In 12 years with the Steelers and a 1984 season with the Seattle Seahawks, Harris run 2,949 times for 12,120 yards, 91 rushing touchdowns, 307 receptions for 2,287 receiving yards, and nine receiving touchdowns.

But in the postseason? Harris had 19 playoff games and Super Bowls in which to gain 556 yards and score 19 rushing touchdowns on 400 carries. He also had 51 postseason receptions for 504 yards and one touchdown.

Harris could beat you as a running back any way to liked. He had a smooth, gliding style at times, but when it was time to bull ahead for a crucial yard, he was not afraid to make that happen. It’s just that he was so much better as picking through a defense and taking what he wanted in that fashion.

“He had so many different styles of running, like a good musician. He would be running and it might look like a piano player, but then when he hit the line it might sound like a drum. He was poetry in motion and he was music to the ear” – Mel Blount

Harris passed away just before his “Football Life” special on the NFL Network, which will be shown on Friday, December 23 — the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception.” The Steelers had already planned to retire Harris’ No. 32 jersey on Saturday, when Pittsburgh takes on the Raiders.

“My teammates were men of character, with a lot of heart and soul. This is the team that I belonged to, a team that will live forever. ” – Franco Harris