Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris has died at age 72, just days before the 50th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception,” the play that won the Steelers their first playoff game.
Harris’ son, Dok, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his father died overnight. Harris’ cause of death was not immediately known, WPXI reported.
Harris is best known for his role in the “Immaculate Reception,” remembered as the greatest play in Steelers’ history, and one of the greatest plays in the history of the NFL. In the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff Game on Dec. 23, the Steelers were facing the Oakland Raiders and were trailing 7-6 with just 22 seconds on the clock. The Steelers faced a fourth-and-10 from their own 40-yard line when quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw the ball to receiver Frenchy Fuqua. The ball hit Raiders safety Jack Tatum, ricocheting back. Harris caught the ball, took off running and was able to complete a 60-yard touchdown, giving the Steelers a 13-7 win.
The Steelers are hosting the Raiders on Saturday night, and were previously planning to celebrate the play with throwback jerseys and a ceremony to retire Harris’ No. 32 at halftime, NFL.com reported.
“We have lost an incredible football player, an incredible ambassador to the Hall and most importantly, we have lost one of the finest gentlemen anyone will ever meet,” Pro Football of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement to the AP. “Franco not only impacted the game of football, but he also affected the lives of many, many people in profoundly positive ways.”
Harris was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 1972 draft from Penn State and played for the Steelers through the 1983 season. Harris was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990 and was an inaugural member of the Steelers Hall of Honor in 2017.