PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Franco Harris will be celebrated on Saturday with as his number will be retired and for being part of a play that helped change a culture. In talking with those on the current team, Harris also helped change a culture of Steelers players in the community.
"You can look at Franco, I think everybody knows Franco, not just for the work he did on the field but off the field,” said Steelers captain and Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee Cam Heyward. “I think he was there making change, being involved in everything he could. I think that was the way that group was represented.”
“He had a play that changed the whole culture here,” said Steelers tailback Jaylen Warren. “He also had a very impactful role in the community. I want to be that type of player.”
“It’s something you look at and aspire to be how he was,” said Steelers guard Kevin Dotson. “To be able to impact that many people. Definitely do more outside of football and be more than a football player. That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last year or two. He’s someone you look up to. I’ve heard bad things about a bunch of people, but never heard anything bad about him.”
“You go everywhere, you fly into Pittsburgh and you see his statue in the Pittsburgh airport,” said Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth. “No other places have that. He means so much to Pittsburgh. It’s obviously cool for me personally because I have a relationship with him. Everyone in the locker room, they know Franco Harris.”
“He’s been around all the time. He’s one of the first people I was told to follow, follow his legacy. It’s how to be a Steeler. How it is and how it looks.”
"That's something that we talk openly about and we appreciate the support that these current players get for those that have come before them and Franco is just such a shining example of that,” Tomlin said. “When those guys spend time with him, they realize that he didn't want anything from them, he just wanted the absolute best for them and that unconditional love, guys feel that and that's why they felt about him the way they felt about him."
The perspective is different for Steelers long-snapper Christian Kuntz. He grew up in Pittsburgh and said he knew about Franco Harris when he was born. He said his dad claimed to have been at the Immaculate Reception game, but he’s not sure if that’s a lie. Too young to see him play, Kuntz did have interactions with Harris.
The 28-year-old was a valet at Alla Familia and Capital Grille restaurants when he was younger. Several times he parked Harris’ car.
“Just a legendary guy, as everyone says,” Kuntz recalled. “He was nice to everybody. Said hi to everybody, gave everybody the time of day doesn’t matter who you were. That’s what stuck out to me. I valeted him before I was on the team or even in the NFL, he’s always respectful. He would say hi, tipped very well. Stuff you don’t forget.”
“He is the definition of Pittsburgh Steelers football. 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.”
Several on the team, including Mike Tomlin, said all they can do now is honor him by their play on Saturday night against the Raiders.
“I just admire and love the man,” Tomlin said. “There's so much to be learned from him in terms of how he conducted himself, how he embraced the responsibilities of being Franco for Steeler Nation, for this community. You know, for the Penn State followers. He embraced it all and did it with such grace and class and patience and time for people.”
“It definitely will be emotional,” Kuntz said. “The ceremony, everything going on and retiring his jersey. We are looking forward to it and getting a win for him.”