Franco Harris, Steeler Who Caught ‘Immaculate Reception,’ Dies at 72

Franco Harris was born on March 7, 1950, at Fort Dix, N.J. His father, Cad, who was Black, met his mother, Gina Parenti, who was Italian, in Pisa, Italy, where Cad was stationed as an Army medic. After graduating from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, N.J., he played fullback at Penn State, opening running lanes for the running back Lydell Mitchell.

The Steelers drafted him with the 13th pick in the first round of the 1972 N.F.L. draft. He made an immediate impact, rushing for 1,055 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns in his first season and winning offensive rookie of the year honors from The Associated Press. In 1975, his most productive year, he rushed for 1,246 yards, second to O.J. Simpson, and scored 10 touchdowns.

His career total of 354 rushing yards in Super Bowls remains a record today.

“All I know is, he’s dependable,” Bradshaw, the Steelers quarterback throughout the 1970s, told The New York Times in 1983. “He’s a Rolls-Royce, and since I haven’t seen too many of them driving around the streets of Pittsburgh, it’s nice to know there’s one sitting right behind me on the field.”

The Steelers never had a losing campaign in Harris’s 12 seasons with them. His fans called themselves Franco’s Italian Army, a nod to his mother’s ancestry.

Harris was released by the Steelers after a contract squabble in 1984. He signed with the Seahawks and gained 170 yards in eight games before being cut.

Although Harris left the Steelers, his popularity never flagged in Pittsburgh, where a statue of his famous catch, next to one of George Washington, greets visitors at Pittsburgh International Airport. (It was moved to a more prominent position at the airport after news of his death.) He opened a business selling nutritious baked goods and another selling fitness gear, both based in the city.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/sports/football/franco-harris-dead-steelers.html