Steelers to retire Franco Harris' jersey during Week 16 game

The Pittsburgh Steelers are honoring a former legend later this football season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, former great Steeler fullback Franco Harris will have his jersey retired during the team’s Week 16 matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders.

Here waas the report from Schefty, which he tweeted:

“The Franco Harris No. 32 jersey that will be retired by the Steelers at halftime of Pittsburgh’s Week 16 game against, fittingly, the Raiders.”

No more No. 32 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harris’ name will eternally be etched into the fabric of the final 32 jersey issued to a player. Which you can see from a picture from the team as part of Schefter’s tweet:

The Franco Harris No. 32 jersey that will be retired by the Steelers at halftime of Pittsburgh’s Week 16 game against, fittingly, the Raiders.

📸 @steelers pic.twitter.com/yR4zTEIee1

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 6, 2022

Franco Harris background

Franco Harris was certainly an old-school football player. A fullback from the 1970’s that was the team’s dominant ball-carrier. Not only was he the Steelers’ best guy on the ground during his time there, Harris was one of the most consistent forces out of the backfield in the entire NFL.

For six straight seasons, from 1974 to 1979, Harris eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing. For a fullback, that’s unbelievable. Pretty safe to say a fullback will almost certainly NEVER hit those marks again. Just an unbelievable level of production from Harris as a fullback.

For his career, the big fella ran for north of 12,000 yards and scored 91 touchdowns. Really, he was the precursor of what was to come with Jerome Bettis. But Harris himself was well worthy of the Hall of Fame and was inducted in the 1990 class.

An absolutely legendary fullback. Don’t see to many of those. And a worthy jersey retirement. So book your tickets now, Steeler fans. Week 16 at home vs. the Las Vegas Raiders. They’ve got to send Mr. Harris’ jersey to the rafters in style.