Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored the “Immaculate Reception,” check out Franco Harris Obituary.
Franco Harris : Obituary | What did die of | Did die
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 running during a last-second heave by Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw in a playoff game against Oakland in 1972.
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.
Fuqua and Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum collided, sending the ball careening back toward midfield in the direction of Harris. Game officials weren’t sure who deflected the pass; replays were inconclusive.
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.
Franco Harris Obituary
Franco Harris was a Hall of Fame running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers known for catching the “Immaculate Reception.”
- Died: Wednesday, December 21, 2022. (Who else died on December 21?)
- Details of death: Died at the age of 72.
- We invite you to share condolences for Franco Harris in our Guest Book.
We have lost an Icon in Franco Harris. He embodied Pgh in his Grace, Humility, & Sense of Pride. He was a Champion on the Field & Ambassador off it. Thank you Franco for setting the standard that we all strive to achieve as a Professional & as a Person. RIP & condolences to Dana. pic.twitter.com/3GtCgOpeOW
— Bill Cowher (@CowherCBS) December 21, 2022
“I can’t remember from leaving the backfield to running down the sideline; I remember leaving the backfield, but I don’t remember anything in between.” “My mind is completely blank. I can’t tell you if I saw the ball, or if I saw anything or if I knew what actually happened. It baffles my mind. What I knew, once I had it was, ‘run!” – He told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2012
Franco Harris was a running back in college at Penn State. He was drafted in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was the NFL rookie of the year in 1972 when he rushed for more than 1,000 yards.
He won four Super Bowl titles with the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s and rushed for 12,120 career yards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990 and he still holds the record for most total rushing yards in Super Bowls with 354.
What did Franco Harris die of
Sources confirmed to Pittsburgh Action News 4, that Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Famer died of natural causes at the age of 72, a few days before the 50th anniversary of Immaculate reception.
Tributes to Harris poured in on social media Wednesday morning.
“Franco Harris was so much more than just one play,” ESPN’s Mike Greenberg tweeted. “He was one of the great backs of his time, or any time, and the heartbeat of the offense of those legendary #Steelers teams. He was also as classy a gentleman as you could ever hope to meet. RIP Franco, thanks for the memories.”
Pennsylvania state Sen. Jay Costa offered his tribute.
“Franco’s legacy in our community will be forever one of joy, victory, and pride in the Steel City,” Costa tweeted. “Rest well, my friend.”
And from former NFL head coach Tony Dungy:
“Woke up this morning to the devastating news that my friend Franco Harris passed away during the night. One of the kindest, gentlest men I have ever known,” Dungy said. “He was a great person & great teammate. Hall of Fame player but so much more than that. A tremendous role model for me!”
Did die
Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers running back whose heads-up thinking created the “Immaculate Reception”, considered the most famous play in NFL history, has died. He was 72.
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