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Franco Harris (left) and John Fuqua attended a ceremonial commemorating the 40th day of the 'Immaculate Reception' successful 2012Hall of Fame moving backmost Franco Harris has died astatine the property of 72.
Harris won the Super Bowl 4 times with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1970s but was astir celebrated for making the drawback that became known arsenic the 'Immaculate Reception' successful 1972.
With the Steelers trailing astatine the extremity of a play-off crippled with the Oakland Raiders, a walk ricocheted to Harris and helium ran successful a game-winning touchdown.
In 2019 the play was voted arsenic the greatest successful NFL history.
With 22 seconds near successful the AFC divisional play-off connected 23 December 1972, Steelers backmost Terry Bradshaw attempted a propulsion towards John Fuqua but the shot bounced towards Harris, who stooped to drawback the escaped shot earlier charging down the sideline to assertion a 60-yard touchdown.
That helped Pittsburgh to a 13-7 triumph - their archetypal successful the play-offs - and though they did not scope the Super Bowl that season, Harris went connected to assistance them go NFL champions 4 times successful the adjacent 7 years.
The Steelers are acceptable to observe the 50th day of the Immaculate Reception connected Saturday erstwhile they again big the Raiders, who are present based successful Las Vegas, and Harris' celebrated fig 32 volition besides beryllium retired.
"We person mislaid an unthinkable shot player, an unthinkable ambassador to the Hall and astir importantly, we person mislaid 1 of the finest gentlemen anyone volition ever meet," said Hall of Fame president Jim Porter.
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Pittsburgh selected Harris with the 13th prime successful the 1972 draught and helium spent 12 years with the squad earlier playing the last play of his vocation with the Seattle Seahawks successful 1984.
A nine-time Pro Bowler, helium ended his NFL vocation with 12,120 rushing yards and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 1990.
"Franco not lone impacted the crippled of football, but helium besides affected the lives of many, galore radical successful profoundly affirmative ways," Porter added.
"The Hall of Fame and historians everyplace volition archer Franco's shot communicative forever. His beingness communicative tin ne'er beryllium told fully, however, without including his greatness disconnected the field."
Harris was the Offensive Rookie of the Year for 1972 and successful 1976 helium earned the NFL's Man of the Year award, which recognises a player's committedness to philanthropy and assemblage impact.
In Super Bowl 9 successful 1975, the Steelers bushed the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 with Harris rushing for 158 yards, compared to conscionable 17 for the full Vikings team, to beryllium named the game's Most Valuable Player.
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