Steelers to unveil Franco Harris' retired jersey display before Saturday's preseason game

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It’ll be a sentimental Saturday evening at Acrisure Stadium as the Steelers honor the late Franco Harris. The team will unveil a display of the legend’s jerseys.

Of course, Harris’ No. 32 already is retired. That happened days after he died unexpectedly right before Christmas last year. No one ever would be able to pull off the number anyway.

Here are some of the details as to what the Steelers are planning. There will be a ceremony starting at 5 p.m. local time in the FedEx Great Hall. Harris’ wife, Dana will be with son, Dok, for the unveiling. The display will show several of Franco Harris’ jerseys.

Then Dana and Dok Harris will serve as honorary game captains for Pittsburgh’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The game starts 90 minutes after the unveiling. Chances are, there will be fans wearing some of Franco’s Italian Army memorabilia.

Franco Harris played 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Steelers. He was the perfect player for Pittsburgh to choose in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft. After all, he starred at Penn State and grew up in a military family in Jersey. He personified the tough, blue-collar vibe long before coaches started using it as a motivational schtick.

Harris is one of the best backs ever to play in the NFL, not just for the Steelers. The team won four Super Bowls with Harris in the backfield. He took home MVP honors in Super Bowl IX. He also was an easy selection for the Pro Football Hall of Fame with his induction in 1990. The Steelers also made him a part of the inaugural class of its Hall of Honor in 2017.

“Mean” Joe Greene (left) and Franco Harris are two of the three players the Steelers honored by retiring their jerseys. Ernie Stautner is the third. (Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports)

Franco Harris always will be known for Immaculate Reception

Franco Harris earned a spot in nine Pro Bowls with the Steelers. And on the all-time Steelers team, he’s at running back alongside Rocky Bleier and Jerome Bettis.

There are a ton of fans, including those who don’t wear black and gold, who think the Franco Harris play called the “Immaculate Reception” was the best ever in the NFL. A half-century later, and all you have to do is say its Biblical nickname and true NFL fans can recall the details.

Let’s take you back to Dec. 23, 1972. The Oakland Raiders led the Steelers 7-6, with only 30 seconds remaining in this AFC Divisional playoff game. The Raiders defense put a big rush on Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. He threw the ball towards John Fuqua. The consensus is the ball possibly bounced off the helmet of Raiders head-hunter Jack Tatum. Or maybe Fuqua tipped it. We’re talking early 1970s technology. There weren’t a ton of camera angles. might’ got his fingers on it. Somehow, Franco Harris caught the carom before the ball hit the ground. Of course, he scored the touchdown as the Raiders watched a sure win morph into a devastating loss.

Raiders fans still believe it was an incomplete pass. But Steeler fans know better. That’s why they’ll always celebrate Franco Harris. The team already planned to retire his number during its game on Christmas Eve last year. He would be the third player to be honored with a number retirement along with “Mean” Joe Greene and Ernie Stautner, a defensive lineman who became Tom Landry’s defensive coordinator.

Harris died on Dec. 20. His memory lives on.