Note to Ben Roethlisberger: You’d better read about Franco Harris’ departure from the Steelers
… and he was revered in the ‘burgh, has statue of him at airport
As the Pittsburgh Steeler faithful prepare to part ways with their long-time quarterback, and since the parting may not be amicable, I have some advice for Ben Roethlisberger and his $41 million contract.
Ben, you should read about the final days of one of the most revered Steeler players in history and how the Steelers dumped him just as he was on the verge of becoming the leading rusher in NFL history.
Yes, that was Franco Harris, the running back who exploded onto the Steeler scene and became the NFL Rookie of the Year and a Pro-Bowl player in 1972, which was the first year that the Steelers ever played in the NFL playoffs.
He also became part of Steelers’ and NFL lore because of the Immaculate Reception that gave the team its first playoff win of all time. For that reason, a statue of him is present for every visitor to Pittsburgh International Airport to see.
In short, he was revered in 1984 when he was just 363 yards from tying Jim Brown for the NFL career rushing record.
Despite that, he was waived by the Steelers, who played hardball for the NFL Hall of Famer and a winner of four Super Bowl rings.
Dan Rooney did not put up with nonsense
What outraged owner and CEO Dan Rooney and Coach Chuck Noll was that Harris decided not to report to camp before he and the Steelers had settled on a new contract,
The rebuilding Pittsburgh Steelers turned their backs on history Monday and waived training camp holdout Franco Harris, the veteran running back who is within 363 yards of becoming the NFL's all-time leading rusher.
'I am not happy with it, but I have to think of the coming football season and this team,' team president Dan Rooney said somberly as he read from a tersely worded six-paragraph statement that officially ended the Steelers' association with the greatest running back in their history.
Harris, who was expected to surpass the all-time rushing mark of 12,312 yards set by the legendary Jim Brown sometime this season, described himself as surprised and confused about his future …
“Football is a team game,” Rooney said in his statement. “Franco has been a great player and always put the team before himself. By not reporting to camp, he placed us in a position where we had no alternatives left. It would not be fair to the team, the players and coaches to let this situation continue.”
Pohla Smith, “Steelers waive Franco Harris,” UPI, August 21, 1984
Contract issues
While Roethlisberger’s issue relates to the salary cap, and the Steelers have already said that they cannot continue with his contract without reworking the $41 million salary cap, and since neither side has met since a post-season get-together, Franco’s was also related to his contract, though his failure to report to camp appeared to be the sticking point,
Rooney provided no details of five fruitless months of contract negotiations with Harris, who was in the option year of his latest contract, and declined to answer any questions.
Harris indicated, however, that the final hangup in contract talks was over the Steelers' demand that there be an option year attached to their most recent offer of a one-year contract.
'I asked for a two-year contract, not just the financial ends, but I was going to contribute for two years,' Harris told WPXI. 'In conversations during negotiations it seems like the Steelers didn't seem to have a need for me for the second year ,,,
The Steelers, 9-8 last year, have traded and waived a number of veterans during training camp, though none of them had the long record of contributions of Harris.
Pohla Smith, UPI, August 21, 1984
Many fans were outraged, others wanted to rebuild
The Steeler fans loved Franco, and while he was slowing down, he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1983. In addition, many fans were thrilled with the possibility that a Steeler could become the leading rusher in history.
In short, Franco was loved by so many,
Harris captured the hearts of Pittsburghers as a rookie, when he rushed for 1,055 yards to lead the team into the post-season playoffs.
In the team's first-round playoff with the Oakland Raiders, Harris came out of a tangle of players to catch a 60-yard deflected pass by Terry Bradshaw and score the game-winning touchdown with five seconds left in the game. The play immediately became known as the 'Immaculate Reception,' and the name has stuck throughout the years.
Though the Steelers lost the 1972 AFC championship game to the Miami Dolphins, Harris was named AFC Rookie of the Year and was the only first-year player named to the Pro Bowl team that year. He was named to every Pro Bowl for the next eight years.
Pohla Smith, UPI, August 21, 1984
So, Ben, you have to realize that the Steelers have played hardball with some of the best, including Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward.
Your best step to keep the Pittsburgh fans in your corner would be a retirement, which would cost the Steelers only half of what it would be otherwise.
And, you have to remember that the Steeler fans will remember your last game when you threw something like four interceptions in a playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns.
After that, the fans agreed that now is the time for you to step aside.
The ball is in your court — for now — and if you do not seize it, your departure will be as unfortunate as Franco’s was.
I don’t see anybody jumping up and down to sign him either. I see his role as a solid backup someplace else.
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