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.
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The Immaculate Reception
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. He 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. He still holds the record for most total rushing yards in Super Bowls with 354.
Even with those terrific stats, Harris will be best remembered by NFL fans for the “Immaculate Reception” during a playoff game in 1972 against the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers were down 7-6 with only 22 seconds left in the game. Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw scrambled out of the pocket and threw a pass in the middle of the field to French Fuqua. Fuqua collided with Raiders defensive back Jack Tatum and the ball flew backwards in the air. Harris was running downfield and caught the ball at his feet and ran in for a game-winning touchdown. The Steelers would lose the next week in the AFC Championship Game to the Dolphins but would go on to win the Super Bowl four times in the 1970s. The play is considered to be the most famous in NFL history. The NFL scheduled a game for this Friday night between the Steelers and the Raiders to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception” with Harris and other members of the 1972 Steelers and Harris’s jersey number was to be retired.
Notable Quote
“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
Tributes to Franco Harris
Full Obituary: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
