Hall of Fame RB Franco Harris, the Man Behind the Immaculate Reception in 1972, Dies at 72

Hall of Fame RB Franco Harris, the Man Behind the Immaculate Reception in 1972, Dies at 72

Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris, the man behind one of the NFL’s greatest plays of all time, passed away on December 21, 2022. According to his son, Franco ‘Dok’ Harris, the former Pittsburgh Steelers’ legend died overnight – though a cause of death hasn’t been determined and/or revealed yet. 

Harris spent 13 years in the NFL, 12 of which with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted 13th overall by the team in 1972. In 173 career games played, Franco rushed for 12,120 yards and 91 touchdowns – adding 2,287 receiving yards and 9 receiving touchdowns. He led the league in touchdowns in 1976. 

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He started his legendary career by winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1972. Over the next 13 years, he was a nine-time Pro Bowl and one-time All-Pro running back who helped lead his team to four Super Bowl championships in 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1980. In 1975, he was named Super Bowl IX MVP. 

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One of the many highlights of Franco Harris’ career came on December 23, 1972, during an AFC divisional playoff game that saw his 11-3-0 Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the 10-3-1 Oakland Raiders. With just 22 seconds left in the game, the Steelers found themselves in desperation mode, trailing 7-6. 

Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw dropped back for what appeared to be a hail-mary attempt. After breaking free from a potential sack, Bradshaw heaved the ball towards a receiver downfield, just to have the ball broken up by a Raiders’ defensive back. That’s when the ‘Immaculate Reception’ occurred. 

While the ball was broken up, it was batted directly into the hands of none other than Franco Harris – who was roughly 10 yards behind the play. His incredible instincts and reflexes came into play as he caught the ball and immediately started running toward the endzone – keep in mind, time was running out. 

He went untouched all the way to the 10-yard line, using a stiff arm to break a tackle as he waltzed into the corner of the endzone with just seconds left. The clutch play gave the Steelers a 13-7 lead and ultimately resulted in them advancing to the AFC Championship game – which they lost to Miami.

The NFL Community Mourns the Loss of Franco Harris

Franco Harris was as beloved in the NFL community as anyone. His impact on the game – not just on the field, but also off the field – helped pave the way for many running backs today. To honor his astounding career and legacy, the NFL community is taking to social media to pay tribute and commemorate Harris.

Another Steelers’ great, Hines Ward, said, ‘We lost a great man who was very dear to me. Franco was the best human being I’ve ever met.’ That sentiment was shared by Jerome Bettis, who called him a legend on the field and the personification of excellence off of the field– A true class act to look up to.’ 

Here are some of the other reactions from the NFL community:

Franco Harris finished his career with eight seasons of at least 1,000 yards – including six consecutive seasons between 1974 and 1979. He had at least 10 touchdowns in five of those seasons and a combined 18 touchdowns in the other three years. Not many defenses knew how to stop Harris. 

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“You see I was able to achieve goals beyond my wildest dreams because of the people who surrounded me. They brought out the best in me, they made me rise to new heights, they made me a better ball player,” said Franco Harris during his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech in 1990.

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