Franco Harris
Pro football star
Born: March 7, 1950, in Fort Dix, New Jersey
Died: December 20, 2022, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania
New Jersey Hall of Fame, Class of 2011: Sports
Franco Harris never set out to be a pro football player – much less a superstar – but his talent as a running back made it inevitable.
Harris’s father was an African American from Mississippi stationed in Italy during World War II. His mother was a native Italian; the pair married in Italy and moved to America after the war. Together, they raised nine children in their adopted home of Mount Holly, in Burlington County.
As a boy, Harris mostly played baseball and basketball. He got his first taste of football as a freshman at Rancocas Valley Regional High School. A standout on the gridiron, Harris earned a scholarship to Penn State, where he played for the legendary coach Joe Paterno. During his Penn State career as a running back, Harris amassed 2,002 yards rushing with 24 touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 352 yards and a 25th touchdown.
Despite his achievements, Harris never expected to go on to a career in football, but his performance in the Senior Bowl caught the attention of pro scouts. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Harris 13th overall in the first round of the 1972 player draft. In his first year, Harris rewarded the Steelers’ faith, gaining 1,055 yards and rushing for 10 touchdowns. He was named NFL Rookie of the Year by the Sporting News and Offensive Rookie of Year by the Associated Press.
During his eye-popping rookie year, Harris was a key player in one of football’s most famous plays. It happened in the first round of the playoffs against the Oakland Raiders when Harris snatched a deflected pass just before it hit the ground and ran it for the winning touchdown with 22 seconds left in the game. The catch is forever remembered as “the immaculate reception.”
Over the course of 11 more seasons with the Steelers, Harris rushed for better than 1,000 yards seven times, including six consecutive years. In 1975, he led the league in rushing with 1,246 yards. The following year, he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 14. He was chosen for nine-consecutive Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 1977.
Harris and the Steelers made the playoffs in 10 of his seasons with the team, winning Super Bowl championships in 1974, ’75, ’78, and ’79. Harris was named Super Bowl MVP in 1975, simultaneously becoming the first African American and the first Italian American to be so honored. The Harris-era Steelers (with Terry Bradshaw at quarterback) are widely recognized as one of the greatest pro football teams of all time.
Harris retired after the 1984 season – his lone campaign with the Seattle Seahawks – and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. His 12,120 career rushing yards and 91 career rushing touchdowns rank among the highest totals of all time.
After leaving football, Harris co-founded a business that produced nutrition-oriented food for schoolchildren; led a charitable foundation; and was a co-owner of the Pittsburgh Passion women’s football team.