Tag: Franco Harris

Mike Tomlin on what Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception mean to Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin sings the praises of Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception

December 23 is the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.

Current Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin spoke about what Franco Harris and the play mean to the organization.

Tomlin said the player and play created a standard that exists today and every day for the franchise.

The Steelers will retire Harris’ No. 32 on Saturday when they play the Las Vegas Raiders.

Sadly, it comes days after the running back died at the age of 72.

The play:

 

James Franklin’s statement on passing of Franco Harris

James Franklin issues statement on passing of Franco Harris

The Penn State football family lost an icon with the passing of Franco Harris, a former Penn State running back and Pro Football Hall of Fame player. Harris passed away just days before the Pittsburgh Steelers were set to honor him and the 50th anniversary of his signature play in the NFL, The Immaculate Reception.

Reactions and thoughts came flowing in all day following the news of Harris’ passing, and Penn State head coach James Franklin issued his own statement on a busy day with the start of the early signing period. Franklin called Harris a “true steward of the blue & white.”

Here is what Franklin said about Harris.

“Our thoughts are with Franco Harris’ wife, Dana, and we send our deepest condolences to his entire family, friends, the Steelers organization and all whose lives were impacted by Franco. His professional career and accomplishments speak for itself as a Pro Football Hall of Famer, 4-time Super Bowl champion and 9-time Pro Bowl selection, but it was his toughness and team-first approach as a Nittany Lion that will long be remembered by Penn Staters, Franco was a true steward of the blue & white and he will be sorely missed.”

Harris was 72.

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President Joe Biden offers stirring tribute to the late Franco Harris

President Joe Biden offered a stirring tribute to the late Franco Harris

President Joe Biden released a statement Wednesday paying tribute to Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris, who died at 72 overnight.

The president and Harris formed an emotional bond, coincidentally, 50 years ago.

Biden’s statement from The White House:

It was this week fifty years ago when my first wife and infant daughter were killed and my two young sons were badly injured in a car accident while they were out getting a Christmas tree. I had just been elected to the U.S. Senate and I was in Washington when I got the call and rushed home to Delaware.

I rarely left my boys’ bedside until they got better. But one day I did to go shopping for them. When I returned, they were smiling for the first time since the accident. 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. Busy with their own lives, they took the time to be with my boys, sign footballs, and then left with no publicity. A small act of kindness that meant the world to us.

Sports have a powerful way of bringing people together. As families gather for Christmas this weekend, there will be countless Pittsburgh Steeler and Penn State fans sharing stories of Franco with their children and grandchildren who will discover his greatness on the field. But I know there will also be countless families like mine that will remember him for all that he did to lift our spirits when we needed it – in the most quiet, personal, and American of ways. We don’t have to ask. We show up. We reach out. We share a compassion that is a source of our enduring strength as a nation.

The last few times I saw Franco were in September and November of 2020 on the campaign trail in Latrobe and Pittsburgh. This week of all weeks, my family remembers him and keeps him close to our hearts.

May God bless, Franco Harris – a dear friend, a good man, and a great American.

May God bless the love of his life Dana, their family, and all of Steeler Nation.

Harris campaigned for Biden on Nov. 3, 2020:

We need Joe Biden. Joe Biden shows respect to every single American. And as Mrs. Rogers says, he’s kind. And remember what Art Rooney, the chief, always said, don’t mistake kindness for weakness. Joe Biden is a man who has already faced a pandemic, a man who has turned an economic crisis around. He worked with world leaders and our allies. Experience does matter. Being on the job and being up to the job matters.

Remembering Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception in all its brilliance

Franco Harris’ death comes two days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception

Franco Harris died on Wednesday, two days before the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers planned on honoring Harris on Saturday when they play the Las Vegas Raiders by retiring the running back’s No. 32.

On Dec. 23, 1972, the Oakland Raiders and Steelers met in a playoff game.

Oakland led 7-6 by virtue of a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ken Stabler. It was the longest run of Stabler’s NFL career, whether in the regular season or postseason.

The Steelers were down to their last play, a fourth-and 10 from their 40, when the incredible occurred.

Harris, after initially blocking on the play, had run downfield in case Terry Bradshaw needed another eligible receiver. After Bradshaw threw the pass towards John Fuqua, Harris recounted the advice of his college football coach Joe Paterno, who always told his players “Go to the ball.”

Harris, in the vicinity of the deflected pass, scooped up the sailing ball just before it hit the ground. Harris ran past Raiders linebacker Gerald Irons, while linebacker Phil Villapiano, who had been covering Harris, was blocked by Steelers tight end John McMakin. Harris used a stiff arm to ward off Raiders defensive back Jimmy Warren, and went in for a touchdown.

It took 15 minutes for the officials to rule the play a touchdown. In 1972, and for many years prior, an offensive player could not touch or catch a football if the previous person to touch it was a fellow offensive player.

That rule has changed over the course of time.

Roy Gerela kicked the extra point and the Steelers had an unforgettable 13-7 playoff victory.

For years, it was debated whether the Steelers’ Fuqua or the Raiders’ Jack Tatum had created the deflection.

The Immaculate Reception was called the greatest play in NFL history during the league’s 100th season.

Social media reacts to the passing of Franco Harris

Twitter reacts to the passing of Franco Harris

Penn State and the football community lost a living legend on Wednesday morning when it was announced former running back Franco Harris passed away at the age of 72, the Associated Press reported.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame member got national attention as a Penn State running back from 1969 to 1971. He would be one of the premier member for Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions at a crucial time in the program’s history. His career in State College would eventually earn him the chance to enter the NFL where he was a first-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972. He would go on to win four Super Bowls with them and would retire in 1984 in an arms reach of Jim Brown’s all-time rushing record.

As you would expect, social media was full of well wishes and great thoughts on Harris being shared. Here is a collection of just a handful of the thousands that have been shared.

5 teams Franco Harris dominated in his career

Take a look at the five teams the late Franco Harris had no trouble facing in his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers & Seattle Seahawks.

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris passed away Wednesday at age 72.

Harris, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1972-83 and then with the Seattle Seahawks in 1984, was a four-time Super Bowl champion, nine-time Pro Bowler, and was the MVP in Super Bowl IX, the Steelers’ first ever world championship.

At 6-2, 230 pounds, Harris was difficult to bring down, but his quickness also made him difficult to catch.

The following is a list of teams that had trouble stopping Harris in his career. All data comes from Pro Football Reference, and four career games — regular season only — is the minimum qualifier.

Franco Harris: Hall of Fame running back passes away at 72

Harris’ final season in 1984 was spent as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

On Wednesday morning the NFL world awoke to the heartbreaking news that Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris passed away at the age of 72. Harris was one the most dominant running backs of the 1970’s, and became one of the faces of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dynasty.

Although 11 of his 12 years in the NFL were with the Steelers, Harris’ final season in 1984 was spent as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

Harris won four Super Bowls during the 70’s, and even took home MVP honors in Super Bowl IX. But what he will be remembered for is his role in the legendary Immaculate Reception.

The Immaculate Reception is easily the most iconic – and controversial – play in NFL history. Trailing the Oakland Raiders by a score of 7-6 with only 0:22 seconds left to play, the Steelers were facing 4th-and-10 at their own 40 yard line. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw, scrambling to avoid the sack, heaved the ball to Oakland’s 35 yard line, targeting Steelers running back John “Frenchy” Fuqua. What happened next is where history was made.

Fuqua was met immediately by Raiders safety Jack Tatum just as the ball got there. As the two players collided, the ball was bounced back and landed in the waiting arms of Franco Harris who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Harris then ran the ball for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 13-7 win.

What makes it so controversial is the question of who the ball actually touched first. In 1972, the rules at the time made it illegal for two offensive players to touch the football in succession. If the ball bounced off Raiders safety Jack Tatum, the play would have been fine. But if it hit Fuqua, the play should have been blown dead and ruled an incomplete pass. The film has been studied to an almost Zapruder-esque level, but 50 years later, it’s still just as unclear as ever.

Whatever the truth may be, the only thing that matters is it’s place in NFL history. The mystery and speculation surrounding the Immaculate Reception is part of what makes it so legendary.

The timing of death never great, but what will make hearts in the Steel City heavier is the fact the Steelers are going to be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception. While Harris will unfortunately be unable to be apart of the festivities, he will be there in spirit. Fans across the country know Harris will live on in memory as long as football is played.

The story of the NFL cannot be told without the Immaculate Reception… or Franco Harris.

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Schupak: Remembering football great Franco Harris, his love of golf and the Immaculate Dinner Reception

What brought the Super Bowl IX MVP all the way to Korea? It turned out Harris had taken up golf five years earlier.

I had swallowed my last bite of cake and was making my exit from the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Presidents Cup in Korea when I ran into a familiar face.

No, not President George W. Bush, who addressed the audience, nor Kenny G., the saxophonist, who performed amid a cloud of selfie-snapping Korean fans, but rather NFL Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris.

Best-known for catching “The Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, Harris won four Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s.

What brought the then-65-year-old Super Bowl IX MVP all the way to Korea? It turned out Harris had taken up golf five years earlier and he’d fallen hard. He attended the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews with his wife, Dana, as the guest of good friend and former LPGA pro Renee Powell. His love of the game continued to grow and he attended the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in March as a guest of Powell, who was being honored, and posted a photo on social media of meeting Tiger Woods there.

That Harris wasn’t too big to have his own celebrity crush makes me feel a little better that I essentially did the same at the 2015 Presidents Cup dinner in Korea when I saw Harris, one of my childhood heroes, and bordered on going all fan boy on him. It was an odd place for us to meet – I like to refer to it as the Immaculate Dinner Reception – but when I approached him he was nothing but a gentleman and we talked a combination of football and golf for a good 10-15 minutes until the rest of his party was anxious to catch a shuttle back to the host hotel. It was the one and only time I met somebody who meant a lot to me and I’m glad I got the opportunity to tell him so in person.

Harris died on December 21. He was 72.

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His love for golf undoubtedly grew that week in Korea. Seeing the 12-man squads for the Presidents Cup be announced to great fanfare reminded the gridiron great of his Super Bowl days.

“I have to admit I got all pumped up,” Harris said. “It’s crazy. First the British and now to come to the Presidents Cup, it’s been a great year.”

And a great life for one of football’s all-time greats.

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Franco Harris’ Immaculate Reception will always be one of the NFL’s greatest, most miraculous plays

Franco Harris died at age 72, but his greatest play will never be forgotten.

Awful news broke on Wednesday morning: Legendary Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris died at the age of 72. 

That comes just days before the Pittsburgh Steelers were set to retire his jersey later this week, in a celebration of the Immaculate Reception’s 50th anniversary.

And if you’re reading this and don’t know what that play is, I’m here to remind you why it will always be one of the greatest miracles in NFL history.

To understand it, you have to know: Before they were changed in 1978, NFL rules stated that an offensive player could only touch the football once after it was passed. In other words, if Terry Bradshaw threw a pass that was deflected by a fellow Pittsburgh Steeler, then Harris catching it would have been a penalty.

Now that you know that: The Raiders were up 7-6 over the Steelers with 22 seconds left in their 1972 AFC Divisional playoff game. On fourth down, Bradshaw threw a pass that might have gone off teammate John Fuqua … or it was deflected by a Raider. But Harris grabbed the deflected ball and ran it back for the game-winning touchdown.

Did the pass touch Fuqua? Thus, the Immaculate Reception was born:

What a play that will always be a miraculous grab.

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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