Franco Harris ✝

Franco Harris (March 7, 1950 – December 20, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, he won four Super Bowls with the Steelers, winning Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors in Super Bowl IX against the Minnesota Vikings. He was a key player in one of professional football's most famous plays, dubbed the "Immaculate Reception", which gave the Steelers their first playoff win. After playing college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, Harris was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft, the 13th overall pick. He played his first 12 seasons with the Steelers and his last with the Seattle Seahawks. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Harris was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey. His father, Cad Harris, a Black soldier, served in World War II and was stationed in Italy during the war. His mother, Gina Parenti Harris, was a native Italian and became a "war bride", who moved with her husband when he returned to the United States after the end of the war.