A day has gone by since Pittsburgh Steelers legend, Franco Harris, passed away Wednesday morning. Stories continue to be told, as he was quite obviously a legend of the sport, not just the city of Pittsburgh. Beyond that, his pure gratitude is something everyone talks about. Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin appeared on NFL Network's Good Morning Football on Thursday to discuss.
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Of course, Harris was the topic of his whole segment. The 16-year head coach reflected on someone in his own family who actually was closer with Harris than he was:
"He and my wife were probably closer than he and I. They were on the board together, The Pittsburgh Promise, that's focused on the education of our young people in the city. They both served on that board for a number of years. It really gave us an opportunity to spend non-football moments, charitable moments together. That's Franco for me. Every day of his existence was a blueprint in terms of how to embrace the responsibility and the unique platforms that we have in this game."
Harris' 50-year anniversary of the 'Immaculate Reception' takes place this weekend, as he was set to be honored before the Steelers face off against the Las Vegas Raiders. He still will be, and Tomlin acknowledged his group has a job to focus on as well. That's been the main message at practice this week, but especially after the news that Harris had passed away just days before the game.
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 28: NFL Hall of Fame inductee Franco Harris speaks on stage during the 1st round of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
That is, to honor him through their performance on the field. That's just how the legendary running back would want them to honor him. As of now, the Steelers are favored by 2.5 points in what may end up being the coldest game in Pittsburgh history. While the playoff hopes are less than 1% sitting at 6-8, this game suddenly feels like a must-win. It seems Tomlin is doing everything he can in order to make that happen in honor of Harris' legacy.
How do you think the team will perform this weekend? Although the playoff hopes are all but gone, do you think the team is still feeling a lot of pressure to win given the circumstances? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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