Franco Harris’ son – ‘Fantastic thing about my father’ obvious in so many tales

PITTSBURGH — At the same time as temperatures in Pittsburgh plunged to single digits, a whole lot of Steelers followers got here to Acrisure Stadium to observe and hearken to the replay of the Immaculate Reception at 3:41 p.m. — 50 years after Franco Harris’ outstanding play.

Dok Harris, Franco’s son, was amongst them, smiling as he watched the play on a small tv and listened to Jack Fleming’s authentic radio broadcast play-by-play.

“I’ve heard that so many instances,” Dok Harris, talking to ESPN, stated of the radio name. “It is actually onerous to course of, nevertheless it’s been hitting actually in another way over the previous few days. What’s troublesome and what’s additionally stunning is that this is not one thing for my mom and for me, this for everyone.

“My dad had such a private relationship with so many individuals, the town, this nation, everywhere in the world. And lots of people are hurting and lots of people are mourning, they usually actually are all household.”

Followers cheered loudly as Franco Harris scored the landing to seal the Steelers’ playoff victory and shortly, a ”Right here we go, Franco!” chant broke out within the Nice Corridor, a concourse of the stadium stuffed with group memorabilia.

For Dok Harris, the Friday anniversary was one other reminder of the connection his dad, who died this week at the age of 72, shared with so many individuals.

“It is virtually inconceivable to course of that he might give a lot to so many individuals personally,” Dok Harris informed ESPN. “Individuals [have been] telling me tales about how they met him someday in 1977 or 1987 or 1991. It was essential to them, and it made a distinction of their lives. And that is actually the fantastic thing about my father, actually a really blessed soul who simply actually sought to assist all people out.”

Steelers operating again Najee Harris is a kind of who had a particular relationship with Franco Harris. Not solely did the 2 join over enjoying operating again for the Steelers, however Najee Harris particularly appreciated Franco Harris for his strategy to group outreach.

“He was the position mannequin,” Najee Harris stated. “He was clearly the icon right here. He was extra than simply an athlete. He was a very essential individual, and within the group, he rotated a lot stuff. He is the usual the place all of us talked about of what it’s to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. Not solely that, he is the usual of what it’s to be a human being. The stuff that he did round right here locally, not solely simply round right here, however simply in all places, he tried to provide again as a lot as he can.”

With Franco Harris’ No. 32 jersey set to be retired at halftime of the Steelers’ Christmas Eve sport in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders — simply the third quantity to be retired in franchise historical past — Najee Harris and teammate T.J. Watt harassed the significance and motivation in enjoying the Saturday sport to honor Franco Harris’ reminiscence.

“This was an enormous sport earlier than the information of Franco’s passing even hit,” Watt stated, “and now it is clearly ramped up extra. … I believe we’ll see tomorrow simply the affect that he had on folks when the followers present up and present the appreciation for all that he is completed for Steeler Nation.”

Dok Harris, too, is spending the remainder of the weekend persevering with to honor and rejoice his dad. After the Immaculate Reception replay, he and his household deliberate to proceed together with his dad’s annual Immaculate Reception reunion occasion Friday night time, one stuffed with Steelers and Raiders alumni and Christmas carols, adopted by attending the Steelers-Raiders sport Saturday and celebrating the halftime jersey retirement.

“I am unhappy my dad’s not right here, however we’ll ensure that we do it proper as a result of he liked throwing a very good occasion,” Dok Harris stated. “We’ll ensure that we do it how he would’ve needed it.”