LOOK: Steelers reveal Franco Harris’ jersey display prior to preseason game vs. Bills

The Pittsburgh Steelers held a rite to unveil Franco Harris’ jersey display prior to Saturday’s preseason game in opposition to the Buffalo Bills. 

Harris, a Hall of Fame operating again who spent 12 seasons in Pittsburgh, kicked the bucket an afternoon ahead of the Steelers formally retired his jersey at halftime of the crew’s victory over the Las Vegas Raiders this previous Christmas Eve. Harris’ spouse, Dana, and son, Dok, have been provide at Saturday’s rite and likewise served as honorary captains. 

Scores of enthusiasts arrived early to attend the rite honoring Harris, who ultimate wintry weather become the 3rd former participant to have his quantity retired by means of the franchise. 

Several of Harris’ former teammates, together with Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount and operating again Rocky Bleier, additionally took section within the rite. 

“Number 32 is more than just a number, it’s a memory,” stated Bleier, who shared a backfield with Harris for 10 seasons. 

The Steelers lately added an exhibit within their Hall of Honor honoring the 3 Steelers who’ve had their jerseys retired: Harris, former teammate Joe Greene and Ernie Stautner, a Hall of Fame defensive lineman who performed for the crew from 1950-63. 

One of essentially the most influential avid gamers in franchise historical past, Harris’ accomplishments with the Steelers contains profitable the 1972 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Super Bowl IX MVP and 9 consecutive Pro Bowl alternatives. Harris may be the Super Bowl’s profession speeding chief and stays the Steelers’ franchise profession chief with 12,120 speeding yards and 91 speeding touchdowns. He added an extra 1,556 speeding yards and 16 touchdowns in 19 postseason video games and was once a pressure in every of Pittsburgh’s 4 Super Bowl wins from 1974-79. 

Harris’ have an effect on in Pittsburgh is going past awards and stats, on the other hand. His breakout rookie season propelled Pittsburgh to its first-ever department crown. His “Immaculate Reception” in that yr’s divisional playoff game over the Raiders resulted within the franchise’s first playoff win. 

“My rookie year was an incredible year,” Harris informed CBS Sports in 2021. “That year, [Steelers fans] went crazy. Franco’s Italian Army popped up. And then we had all these fan clubs pop up. That generated so much enthusiasm and so much of a following. And it’s still there today with Steelers Nation. That was a pretty incredible rookie year. I don’t know if anybody ever had as much fun in their rookie year as I did. Going from the worst of all time to this incredible season, to an incredible base of fans to win our first playoff game the way that we won it and to go from there. It was a dream rookie season.” 

The luck Harris and his teammates loved 5 many years in the past continues to be felt throughout the Steelers’ group. That, Harris stated, is what he’s maximum pleased with relating to he and his teammates’ fantastic run. 

“They had a couple of down years here and there, but the Steelers overall have kept their level of play at that great level,” Harris stated. “They went on to win a couple more Super Bowls and be the first one to win six. The history continues. The legacy continues. That’s what I’m most proud of is that they’ve kept that winning spirit and that winning attitude there.”