RIP Franco Harris

The Steeler Legend has passed away . May his memory be a blessing .

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I remember watching him play as a kid in the late 70s with those great Steeler teams that featured Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann.

R.I.P. Franco

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Thoughts to his family and friends … he was a great.

This highlight package (for any young’uns) has an immaculate conclusion
Franco Harris Career Highlights | Pittsburgh Steelers - YouTube

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The Immaculate Reception.

When I watched the NFL, the Steelers were the team I cheered for. That was one great play.

R.I.P. Franco Harris

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One of the first NFL games I remember seeing - that was a crazy play. Franco was one of the all time Steelers greats. RIP

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Al; an old friend who goes to TiCat games now is the same goof who went with me in high school and we were in high school in 1972. I was a Steeler fan then as I am now; all the connections were there for me - same major industry, same colours, same toughness. For some reason, Al was a Raiders fan.
And even a couple days ago when Franco's death was announced, Al argues that the Immaculate Reception wasn't legit. "One offensive player to another!" (Which was illegal back then, even backwards.) is what he says, "The ball went off Frenchy Fuqua's shoulder when Jack Tatum hit him... and Franco trapped it!"
My fellow Steeler fans and I know it's Raider BS (which has been quite desperate for the last 20 years) but back then, another high school bud from the AV crew 'borrowed' a beta vcr and taped the game and since the equipment was pretty primative including NBC's boadcast in '72, Al put his faith in some very blurry footage that you couldn't freeze-frame.
But he's a Cat fan, so he has something going for him.

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He will be more remembered for the Immaculate Reception in 1972 as a rookie.

He will be missed.

Franco won 4 Super Bowls that are memorable as well . :heartbeat:

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Today is the actual anniversary date, for which the Steelers created a great logo:

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I stumbled on a couple of Youtube videos last night, and learned that this is a real controversy. This Frenchy fellow took a lifetime vow of silence on whether the ball hit him, and that’s not something he would need to do if it had not hit him.

It took slightly longer to find out why that would have made the play illegal, as the double touch rule was long ago phased out.

It was also interesting for me to hear that the “Immaculate reception” phrase was coined the very same day by a Pittsburgh fan, but was not universally accepted and used until 1-2 years later.

Shades of the Maradona “Hand of God” goal, and the days before instant replay.

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The Raider , Jack Tatum , was the cheap shot artist who crippled Darryl Stingley . He hit Fuqua early which caused the huge rebound . The Raider players moaned and groaned about Harris' miracle but it looked good on them . It just gave me another reason to hate the Raiders and Al Davis .

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I still cannot believe that Franco Harris passed away at the age of 72. He has been busy for the last 2 weeks giving media interviews to promote the 50th Anniversary of "The Immaculate Reception".
He recorded this commercial with Terry Bradshaw 2 weeks ago . . .

Those great Steelers teams were founded on Defence, but the Offence was built around Franco Harris. When he retired he was the third in All-Time Rushing Yards in the NFL . . . and yet he remained a very humble man his entire life.
No cause of death has been released yet . . . it is shocking that he passed away 4 days before the entire NFL was going to be gathering to celebrate "The Immaculate Reception" & 4 days before he was to become only the 3rd player in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers to have his Jersey # retired. Very Sad.

Franco, we wish you were there to celebrate with your teammates, your fans . . . RIP !!

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