PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers went through with normal practice on Wednesday, the game doesn't stop even when you lose an all-time great in Franco Harris. Not that it was easy to keep focus.
"This organization, this community, the football world, we lost a great one in Franco Harris," Tomlin said Wednesday. "Obviously we're all heartbroken but we do look forward to honoring him and his legacy this weekend and obviously where our attention needs to be is on the preparation required to put together the type of performance that's fitting of a great man like Franco."
"He is the definition of Pittsburgh Steelers football," said Chartiers Valley graduate and Steelers long-snapper Christian Kuntz. "You look at him and you are like 'wow'. And then the type of guy he was is the type of guy you want to become."
"From the sounds of it, he had a huge impact on the players and on the community," said Steelers rookie tailback Jaylen Warren. "He had a play that changed the whole culture here. He also had a very impactful role in the community. I want to be that type of player."
"I met him at Penn State with his wife Dana," said Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth. "I built that relationship through that. Obviously getting drafted by the Steelers and having him announce my pick. It was cool and a huge honor. I learned about him and his legacy in Pittsburgh during his time here. We built that relationship."
"It's definitely sad. This weekend was for him. It still is for him. It stinks he won't be able to be there."
"I knew about him," said Steelers guard Kevin Dotson. "I didn't get a chance to hang out with him. I wish I would have. I never heard anything negative on him. I know he made a positive impact on a number of people. I pray for everyone in his family."
Cam Heyward is probably the most like Franco on the team in terms of his performance on and off the field.
"You can look at Franco, I think everybody knows Franco, not just for the work he did on the field but off the field," Heyward said. "I think he was there making change, being involved in everything he could. I think that was the way that group was represented. You look at Mean Joe and guys like him and Franco I felt led the charge on that front. Outspoken. Didn't hide behind anything but was a person of the people."
What you could tell really made the news tough for Heyward, he just spoke with him on Tuesday.
"It was genuine," Heyward said of their conversation. "You knew he loved to have fun. Like it's bad. Because I was talking to him yesterday and he was telling me, you know, you still wouldn't be able to touch me, just in practice, if he was practicing and I'm just like 'Franco, you're not even playing football right now."
"He had a competitive spirit and it felt like he wanted to be there for you. He wanted to just interact and I can't say enough about the people he represented, the people who got a chance to meet him, because I don't think they're putting just anybody up in the airport."
"Franco was 'The Guy'. And for as many accolades as he got, he always deflected to so many other people. It was a pleasure to just meet him and the way he went about respecting people after him I thought was incredible."
