Franco Harris, a former running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died.
On Christmas Eve, 2022, Coach Mike Tomlin declared “We had a chance to be part of Steeler history tonight”. “We don’t take that lightly, man. We’re so appreciative of the ground that’s been laid by those that have come before us, like this man’s jersey, that I’m wearing right here. We get to enjoy the fruit of their labor daily, ……….. We just wanted to honor him, his teammates, all the men that have come before us that’s made the black and gold what it is”.
Pittsburgh Steeler Franchise icon Franco Harris’ jersey retirement ceremony took place on Christmas Eve 2022. Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris died on December 20, at the age of 72. Harris, and his 1972 teammates would be honored as Harris became the third member of the Steeler Franchise to retire his jersey number. This took place four short days after his death.
Personal Life of Franco Harris – A Man of Steel
Harris was born in New Jersey at Fort Dix. In World War II, his father served as a soldier, stationed in Italy. His mother, Gina Parenti Harris, a native Italian, moved with her husband as a “war bride” to the United States when the war ended.
Harris married Dana Dokmanovich. Their one son together, Franco “Dok” Harris, ran as a third-party candidate in the 2009 Pittsburgh mayoral election and finished in second place with 25% of the vote. Pete Harris, Franco’s brother, played football for Penn State and died of a heart attack on August 15, 2006, at age 49.
Franco Harris – Becoming a Man of Steel
Franco Harris was the 13th overall first round selection of the 1972 NFL draft by the Steelers. He is the first African American, and Italian-American, named Super Bowl MVP in 1975. Franco rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 34 carries for a 16-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings. His first season culminated in Franco earning the titles of “NFL Rookie of the Year” and “NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year” that same year.
His Super Bowl career totals of 101 carries for 354 yards are records. He had four career rushing touchdowns, tying for the second-most in Super Bowl history.
The “Immaculate Reception“
Franco was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and won four Super Bowls with the Steelers. He is most famous for his role in what became known as the “Immaculate Reception”. This play gave the Steelers their first playoff win.
Franco Harris was an American professional football player who, for 13 seasons, primarily played running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played his first 12 seasons as a Steeler, with his final season as a Seattle Seahawk. Harris played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he holds the title of MVP of SuperBowl IX.
As a rookie, Harris was a key player in one of professional football’s most famous plays, dubbed the “Immaculate Reception”. The teams, Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders. In this first round playoff game, the Raiders were winning 7-6 with 22 seconds left to play. Terry Bradshaw threw a pass deflected away from the intended receiver John Fuqua, as Jack Tatum arrived to tackle him. Harris snatched the ball just before it hit the ground and ran it into the end zone. This would be the Steelers’ first playoff win.
Tandem running backs Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, combined with a strong defense, won four Super Bowls. He broke Jim Brown’s record, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in eight seasons. In addition, he was chosen for nine consecutive Pro Bowls from 1972 to 1980. He was All-Pro in 1977.
Pro Football Career
Franco Harris’ stats at the National Football League are as follows:
- Rushing Yards – 12,120
- Yards per Carry – 4.1
- Receptions – 307
- Rushing Touchdowns – 91
- Receiving Yards – 2,287
- Receiving Touchdowns – 9
Franco Harris Fans
His fans included “Brigadier General” Frank Sinatra. They called themselves “Franco’s Italian Army” and wore army helmets with his number on them. This made Franco popular with Pittsburgh’s large Italian-American population.
A dedicated throng of Terrible Towelers attended the ceremony, willing to brave single-digits temps on that frigid night. A week of mourning and celebration of Harris came to a close with this ceremony. Steeler legends Mel Blount, Joe Greene and John Fuqua attended the Christmas Eve ceremony.
Retired Jersey Number
Three days before the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception”, Franco Harris, age 72, died suddenly in his sleep at his home. In the days preceding his death, Harris was active on social media and spoken to visitors at the Heinz History Center, including a live interview with KDKA-TV from the History Center. The ceremony commenced at halftime during a Steelers – Raiders football game.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
The story only begins after Franco’s retirement from the NFL. Franco Harris always had an interest in business. Harris is today the owner and president of Super Bakery Inc. located in Pittsburgh. The first publicly held black-owned business in the United States, Harris saved the failing Parks Sausage Company. He was always kind and gentle, giving generously to the community. And a grateful Steelers Nation will always remember him.
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