Candidate #6: Franco Harris
Running Back >>> 6-2, 230
(Penn State)
1972-1983 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1984 Seattle Seahawks
Franco Harris. . .No. 1 draft pick, 1972. . .Provided big-back power to Steelers offense. . .All-Pro, 1977, All-AFC three times. . .In eight Pro Bowls. . .158 yards rushing, MVP in Super Bowl IX . . .Rushed 1,000 yards eight seasons, 100 yards, 47 games. . .Career record: 12,120 yards, 91 TDs rushing; 2,287 yards, 9 TDs receiving; 14,622 combined net yards. . . 1,556 yards rushing in 19 post-season games. . . Born March 7, 1950, in Fort Dix, New Jersey.
Franco Harris began his pro football career as the Pittsburgh Steelers' No.1 pick and the 13th player selected in the 1972 NFL Draft. For 12 seasons, the 6-2, 230-pounder from Penn State was a big-yardage running back, a key man in the powerful Pittsburgh offensive machine, which also included an outstanding passing attack.
Harris established himself as a future superstar when he became only the fourth rookie in NFL annals to rush for 1,000 yards. He gained additional attention by being on the receiving end of the famous "Immaculate Reception" pass from Terry Bradshaw that gave the Steelers their first-ever playoff win, a 13-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders. In his 13 seasons, the last of which was spent with the Seattle Seahawks in 1984, Harris rushed 2,949 times for 12,120 yards and 91 touchdowns.
He rushed for 1,000 yards or more eight seasons and for more than 100 yards in 47 games. He also caught 307 passes for 2,287 yards and nine touchdowns. His career rushing total and his combined net yardage figure of 14,622 both ranked as the third highest marks in pro football history at the time of his retirement.
Harris, who was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on March 7, 1950, was an All-AFC choice in 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1977 and first- or second-team All-Pro six times. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls. Franco played in five AFC championships – missing a sixth because of injury – and four Super Bowls.
In Super Bowl IX, when the Steelers won their first-ever league title with a 16-6 victory over Minnesota, Harris rushed for 158 yards, compared to just 17 yards rushing for the entire Viking team. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Harris held numerous Super Bowl and post-season game records by the end of his career. The most notable include 24 points and 354 yards rushing in four Super Bowls and 17 touchdowns and 1,556 yards rushing in 19 post-season playoff games.
Code:
| Rushing | Receiving |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| Year TM | G | Att Yards Y/A TD | Rec Yards Y/R TD |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| 1972 pit | 14 | 188 1055 5.6 10 | 21 180 8.6 1 |
| 1973 pit | 12 | 188 698 3.7 3 | 10 69 6.9 0 |
| 1974 pit | 12 | 208 1006 4.8 5 | 23 200 8.7 1 |
| 1975 pit | 14 | 262 1246 4.8 10 | 28 214 7.6 1 |
| 1976 pit | 14 | 289 1128 3.9 14 | 23 151 6.6 0 |
| 1977 pit | 14 | 300 1162 3.9 11 | 11 62 5.6 0 |
| 1978 pit | 16 | 310 1082 3.5 8 | 22 144 6.5 0 |
| 1979 pit | 15 | 267 1186 4.4 11 | 36 291 8.1 1 |
| 1980 pit | 13 | 208 789 3.8 4 | 30 196 6.5 2 |
| 1981 pit | 16 | 242 987 4.1 8 | 37 250 6.8 1 |
| 1982 pit | 9 | 140 604 4.3 2 | 31 249 8.0 0 |
| 1983 pit | 16 | 279 1007 3.6 5 | 34 278 8.2 2 |
| 1984 sea | 8 | 68 170 2.5 0 | 1 3 3.0 0 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
| TOTAL | 173 | 2949 12120 4.1 91 | 307 2287 7.4 9 |
+----------+-----+--------------------------+-------------------------+
Seasons among the league's top 10
Rushes: 1974-9, 1975-5, 1976-4t, 1977-4, 1978-2, 1979-6, 1983-10
Rushing yards: 1972-6, 1974-5, 1975-2, 1976-7, 1977-4, 1978-7, 1979-8, 1982-9
Rushing TDs: 1972-3, 1975-6t, 1976-1, 1977-3, 1978-9t, 1979-6t
Yards from scrimmage: 1974-8, 1975-4, 1977-9, 1979-10
Rush/Receive TDs: 1972-7, 1975-7t, 1976-1t, 1977-4, 1979-7t
Among the league's all-time top 50
Rushes: 8
Rushing yards: 11
Rushing TDs: 10t
Yards from scrimmage: 16
Rush/Receive TDs: 19t
Postseason data
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Year Opp Result | RSH YD TD | REC YD TD
---------------------+-----------------+-----------------
1972 oak W,13-7 | 18 64 0 | 5 96 1
1972 mia L,17-21 | 16 76 0 | 2 3 0
1973 oak L,14-33 | 10 29 0 | 0 0 0
1974 buf W,32-14 | 24 74 3 | 1 5 0
1974 oak W,24-13 | 29 111 2 | 0 0 0
*1974 min W,16-6 | 34 158 1 | 0 0 0
1975 bal W,28-10 | 27 153 1 | 0 0 0
1975 oak W,16-10 | 27 79 1 | 5 58 0
*1975 dal W,21-17 | 27 82 0 | 1 26 0
1976 bal W,40-14 | 18 132 0 | 3 24 0
1977 den L,21-34 | 28 92 1 | 4 20 0
1978 den W,33-10 | 24 105 2 | 0 0 0
1978 hou W,34-5 | 20 51 1 | 0 0 0
*1978 dal W,35-31 | 20 68 1 | 1 22 0
1979 mia W,34-14 | 21 83 1 | 5 32 0
1979 hou W,27-13 | 21 85 0 | 6 50 0
*1979 ram W,31-19 | 20 46 2 | 3 66 0
1982 sdg L,28-31 | 10 35 0 | 11 71 0
1983 rai L,10-38 | 6 33 0 | 4 31 0
---------------------+-----------------+-----------------
TOTAL | 400 1556 16 | 51 504 1
* - Super Bowl