Who was Franco Harris? What caused his death? What did Joe Biden and Obama say about the footballer?
Franco Harris died at the age of 72 on Tuesday
Franco Harris, the Pittsburgh Steelers Hall-of-Famer died earlier this week of natural causes at the age of 72. As per Fox News, Franco Harris did a radio interview Tuesday just hours before his death. He joined Chris “Mad dog” Russo on his radio show, where Harris said he was doing fantastic upon being asked how he was feeling. His stint with the Steelers lasted from 1972 to 1983. He died just a few days before the 50th anniversary of Immaculate reception, a famous play, which was selected as the greatest moment in league history as part of the NFL 100 celebration in 2019. The Steelers planned to retire Harris' No. 32 this Sunday at Acrisure Stadium to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his catch against the Oakland Raiders in the 1972 AFC divisional playoffs during his rookie season.
The cause of Franco Harris’s death
Pittsburgh local news agency WTAE reported the news of Franco Harris’s death first. As per reports, he diedof natural causes. However, no official reason for his death has been given. When addressing reporters, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin mentioned Harris' historic catch on Tuesday. He said, "I was in Section 135 that day. I was eight months old. I think it's funny. Surprisingly, I’ve probably met 75,000 people that were there that day," Tomlin said. "It's just one of those beautiful things in the history of our game.”
Major achievements of Franco Harris
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During the 1970s, Harris was instrumental in Pittsburgh winning four Super Bowls in six seasons. He spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers after being drafted 13th overall out of Penn State in 1972. Harris was named to his first of nine Pro Bowl appearances in 1973 after rushing for 1,055 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie.
White House and Obama release statements on Franco Harris’s death
US President Joe Biden and ex-President Barack Obama have released statements on Franco Harris’s death. Both the current and former presidents took to social media to remember the Pro Football Hall of Famer, with Biden explaining that he'd actually been a friend of Harris for years.
"I knew him for his character and compassion," Biden said, referring to someone who "spent time with my boys after we lost my first wife and infant daughter." Meanwhile, Obama said he knew Harris off the field and liked him. "He was an extraordinary man," Obama said, before adding, "He will be missed."
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