Harris, Franco
Football
b. March 7, 1950, Ft. Dix, NJ
As a fullback at Penn State, Harris received much less attention than halfback Lydell Mitchell, but in three years he rushed 380 times for 2,002 yards, a 5.3 average, and scored 24 touchdowns.
A first-round draft choice of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers in 1972, he was named the league's rookie of the year by The Sporting News and United Press International after gaining 1,055 yards on 188 carries, a 5.6 average. He rushed for 10 touchdowns and scored 3 on pass receptions.
Harris was involved in one of pro football's most famous plays, the "immaculate reception," in the American Football Conference playoffs after that season. Pittsburgh was trailing the Oakland Raiders 7-6 with 5 seconds to play when a Terry Bradshaw pass caromed off the shoulderpad of Oakland defensive back Jack Tatum. Harris grabbed the ball and ran it in for the winning touchdown.
Although he made All-Pro only once, in 1977, Harris was chosen for 9 consecutive Pro Bowls, from 1972 through 1980, and he broke Jim Brown's record by rushing for more than 1,000 yards in 8 seasons. His running ability gave Pittsburgh a powerful ball control offense that combined with a strong defense to win four Super Bowls, after the 1974, 1975, 1978, and 1979 seasons. He was the Most Valuable player in Super Bowl IX, after the 1974 season, when he rushed for 158 yards on 34 carries in a 16-6 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Harris played with the Steelers through 1983 and then spent one final season with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Harris was similar in running style to Jim Brown, though he didn't quite have Brown's speed. He had the ability to cut quickly to avoid direct hits by defenders, which often allowed him to break through arm tackles and gain extra yardage.
In his 13 professional seasons, Harris gained 12,120 yards on 2,949 carries, a 4.1 average, and scored 91 rushing touchdowns. He caught 307 passes for 2,287 yards, a 7.4 average, and 9 touchdowns.
