To pay homage to the late, legendary running back Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers showed up to Acrisure Stadium wearing block No. 32 jerseys prior to Saturday night’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The group of players included stars Kenny Pickett, T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Alex Highsmith, along with head coach Mike Tomlin — who talked about Harris’ Pittsburgh legacy earlier in the week.
The nod to Franco Harris, who rushed for 12,120 yards in his Hall of Fame career and was instrumental in the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970s, is yet another demonstration of just what he meant to the franchise, city, and community.
Harris has left an incredible impact, both on the field and off, in the area. The model of what wearing black and gold should mean, it’s hard to tell the Steelers’ story without mentioning him and his contributions.
Many current and former players, celebrities, and prominent figures — including U.S. presidents — shared their condolences and memories of Harris after he passed away early Wednesday morning.
In front of a crowd braving frigid temperatures, the Steelers will recognize Harris’ decorated career by retiring his jersey at halftime of the clash with the Raiders. No Pittsburgh player has worn Harris’ threads since he left to join the Seattle Seahawks in 1983, and only two other Pittsburgh players have had their threads retired — Ernie Stautner and Joe Greene.
Harris is the first offensive player to be honored in that manner.