Steelers Great Franco Harris, In One Of His Last Interviews, Recalls ‘Pretty Good Team’ That Dominated The ‘70s

While the Pittsburgh Steelers may be in a transition period, sitting at 6-8 with a lower than usual chance of a postseason run, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and Steelers legend Franco Harris remembered a time when the NFL franchise had it a lot worse.

“From the club’s founding up to 1972, my first season at the team, the Steelers were the league’s worst team,” Harris said during our Zoom call just a week before he died at age 72.

Harris, who died Wednesday, mentioned that the football club that started out as the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1933, later re-established as Steelers by 1945, had only one playoff appearance and barely over a dozen winning seasons up to the end of 1971.

“But I didn’t think about how bad the Steelers had been, and after four years at Penn State I was thinking sunshine, maybe in Miami or L.A.,” Harris said. “When I got there, though, I looked around and knew we had a pretty good team.”

“Pretty good” might be the understatement of the century. After signing Harris and quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who the Steelers picked No. 1 over all in the 1970 NFL Draft, the Steelers’ fortunes changed.

The next two seasons the Steelers logged double-digit win seasons and made deep playoffs runs. By the 1974 season, and after adding rookie wire receiver Lynn Swann—another future Hall of Fame member—the Steelers would win their first of four Super Bowls in six years. In all, the Pittsburgh Steelers would be cemented as the NFL’s team of the 1970s and one of a handful of colossus ball clubs.

One of the most memorable moments from Harris’ rookie year was a play called the “Immaculate Reception,” which took place during the 1972 AFC Divisional playoff matchup between the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders two days before Christmas. Even 50 years on, it stands as one of the most breathtaking final plays of a football game.

“In football, you really don’t plan moments,” Harris said humbly his game-saving touchdown play, December 23, 1972. “But when you look back, you see there are things that prepare you for big moments.”

Trailing in the last 30 seconds of the game, Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass attempt to Steelers’ running back John Fuqua. Fuqua missed the pass, which partially deflected off the helmet of Raiders’ safety Jack Tatum. The ball bounced and spun high in the air and fell to Harris, who caught it and ran for a game-winning touchdown.

Not surprisingly, the NFL is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception.” On NFL ALL DAY, the exclusive digital video highlight platform of the NFL, the video highlight of Harris’ great touchdown is being brought to the platform in the form of an NFT.

Steelers diehards and memorabilia collectors can access the “Immaculate Reception Pack Drop on Tuesday, December 20, for a chance to own one of ten “Ultimate-tier Moments of the Immaculate Reception NFTs by NFL ALL DAY.

Related story: Jerome Bettis says RBs are still vital

When asked about how he pulled it all off and what did “prepare” him for that moment, Harris talked about his college days.

“I tell people that what prepared me was when I was at Penn State, and our coach, the great Joe Paterno, always yelled at us, “Go to the ball, go to the ball!” Harris said. “He said that to everybody, because no matter your position—when the ball comes down—you can throw a block, or if it’s intercepted you can make a tackle. So when I got to rookie camp, every time Bradshaw threw a ball I ran to the spot.”

A legacy of leadership and teamwork

Harris said that the 1970s Steelers all-hands-on-deck mentality was a key to their success. When asked about how the Steelers grew to become such a titan team, Harris talks amply about quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

“I mean, Terry, you talk about talent and strength-0f-arm, and wow, it was incredible,” Harris said.

He added that after the NFL’s rule changes in 1977, ones that limited some of defensive players’ excessive tactics, the play of 6-foot-3 Bradshaw and other top QBs became much more free. “Terry came out harder and opened up the passing game a lot more, as his talent really was able to shine.

While the Steelers went 9-5 in the 1977 season and lost their divisional playoff opening at Denver, the next two seasons were perhaps the best of the franchise to date. In 1978, the Steelers went 14-2 and in the newly extended 16-game season, later edging the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in Super Bowl XIII. That dynamic season was followed by a 12-4 run and a 31-19 Super Bowl XIV win over the Los Angeles Rams, in 1979. Bradshaw won Super Bowl MVP both times and also snagged the Bert Bell Award regular season MVP Award in 1978.

“We had a good running game and great talent, and that took some pressure off of Terry sometimes. But he always felt the pressure,” Harris said. “Terry was always loose and going forward, throwing that ball. And some exciting things happened.”

When asked about the big personality that younger generations know by watching Terry Bradshaw as a host and broadcaster on FOX NFL Sunday, Harris spoke of Bradshaw’s ability to adapt.

“I knew there was always two Terrys. When he’s off the field, he’s off the charts. He’s playful, funny, and he’s so engaging in other ways,” Harris said. “But on the field? He was focused and serious, and a lot of times I felt he put too much pressure on himself.”

Running game old hat?

When I asked Harris about the NFL’s big long-term moves toward a passing-oriented game, and ultimately pleasing viewers with television-friendly highlights, Harris said he thinks that a team’s running game is still fundamental and essential.

“I think if teams want to win, having a running game is the way to go,” he said. “That’s if you have line and the game plan—but also the focus and determination to run the ball.”

He mentioned Week 14 matchup of the Steelers and arch rival Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, December 11, 2022 as an example.

“The Ravens had the ball and put forth their running game, eating up the clock, getting that first down,” Harris said. Eventually the Ravens edged out the Steelers 16-14. “We couldn’t stop them, and the (Ravens’ running game) made a huge difference.”

Harris emphasized that his own upbringing in football, and how running backs could profoundly affect the game’s outcome even when not tipped to receive the pass. Again, by going to the ball. He points to the Steelers’ 1976 season. Right after winning two consecutive Super Bowls that they lost Bradshaw with nine games left in the 14-game season.

“Talk about some good old fashion football. We had to do it without our quarterback. How? Running and defense. And I loved it, because we did it all (by) running and defense.”

It was that 1976 season that Harris logged a league-high 14 touchdowns on 1279 total yards.

“I think that if teams go to a two running back system that they can control the game and their chances of winning really go up. But is it exciting? Well, that’s the thing.”

Read Frye’s interviews with Tom Brady and Jerome Bettis.

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