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3x MLB All-Star Joins the Masses in Mourning the Saddening Loss of NFL Great Franco Harris

Published 12/22/2022, 7:50 AM EST

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Today, the entire NFL world is mourning the death of Franco Harris, one of the greatest running backs in the history of the sport. The four-time Super Bowl Champion, for 12 seasons of his 13-year career, played with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, at the age of 72, the Pro Football Hall of Famers passed away, and the MLB community, including New York Mets World Championship Lenny Dykstra, mourns the demise of the sporting great.

Information about the running back’s death arrived only two days before the 50th anniversary of ‘Immaculate Reception’ – a play led by Franco Harris and Terry Bradshaw, which carried the Steelers to their first postseason in multiple years. Although Harris’ family confirmed his death, no official reason behind the death has been revealed yet.

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MLB World joins the rest of the country in mourning the death of Franco Harris

1986 New York Mets World Champion outfielder Lenny Dykstra, who is recently becoming popular for his Twitter antics, uploaded a tweet after the Super Bowl Legend’s death. The tweet said, “Franco Harris R.I.P.”

Ex-President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and an extremely long list of NFL Champions mourned the death of the Pittsburgh Steelers running back.

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Franco Harris, RIP. 72. Immaculate reception was almost exactly 50 years ago to the day,said MLB Insider Jon Heyman while responding to the shocking news.

ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith reached for his Twitter handle, and said, This is the first football player I ever saw, and that’s why I became a Steelers fan! RIP Franco Harris”

This is how the rest of the world responded to the legend’s death:

Notably, Franco Harris was a massive Barack Obama and democratic ambassador, who regularly participated in rallies for the former president. And ex-President Obama acknowledged his contributions with a heartfelt message, remembering him.

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Harris left behind an undying legacy

Franco Harris made it to the Steelers after being selected in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft. Instantly, Harris’ arrival created tremors, after the star RB won NFL Rookie of the Year and led the Steelers to their first playoff appearance in over a decade.

Watch this story: Tom Brady Went to The Same High School As This Controversial MLB Hall of Famer Who Was Also A 14x All-Star

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In addition to his four Super Bowl rings, Harris also won the Super Bowl MVP in 1978 after rushing for 158 yards and a touchdown in a win over the Dallas Cowboys. Finally, after retiring from the NFL in 1984, Harris made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Moreover, the Steelers retired his jersey no. 32 after his retirement.

Which was your favorite moment of the legend Steelers’ NFL career? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is an MLB author for EssentiallySports. He is pursuing his BBA degree, specializing in Communications & Media with a Public Policy minor. Along with his keen interest in politics and questions about society, he has written multiple research papers about a variety of topics, ranging from stand-up comedy to the Indian Education System.
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Edited by:

Abhishek Kumar