The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most successful franchises in the history of the NFL using a model of doing things established by Dan Rooney. He learned about both life and football from his father, the legendary “Chief” Art Rooney who founded the Steelers franchise. He passed those lessons onto his son Art Rooney II, who has overseen the Steelers to a successful 20-plus year run. One could argue that Dan Rooney is the greatest Steeler of them all, but as great as he was, he was not infallible and admitted to three major regrets during his tenure as Steelers President with none larger than the decision to waive Franco Harris in 1984.
Dan Rooney always considered the Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris to be the greatest play in NFL History | Photo Credit: NBC Sports
Steelers faced tough decisions entering 1984 season
The ’84 training camp took on an aspect of ruthlessness that had not previously been associated with a Chuck Noll coached team. Despite winning the 1983 AFC Central Division and looking like legitimate Super Bowl contenders after starting 9-2, the Steelers faded badly down the stretch, requiring an injured Terry Bradshaw to spark them to their only win in their final six games. They were routed by the Los Angeles Raiders in the playoffs and the Steelers' front office began feeling the heat about player personnel decisions. Craig Wolfley, per Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work by Michael MacCambridge:
“There was some criticism that he had carried the Super Bowl players too long. I remember that year as being a brutal training camp. As a matter of fact, we called it ‘The Purge of ’84.’ The theme was 'You Can’t Make The Club In The Tub.'”
In hindsight, Franco Harris picked the wrong season to hold out for a better contract. While coming off a 1983 season where he topped 1,000 yards for an eighth time, it was also evident that the aging Harris was no longer the same feature running back. The Steelers' strong start was mirrored in Harris' production, as he topped 100 yards four times to total 610 yards rushing over the first eight games of the season. It also fueled serious excitement in Steeler Nation that Harris was on the verge of breaking what was considered the Holy Grail of NFL records at the time.
The Steelers dynasty began with the arrival of Franco Harris and arguably ended with his departure | Photo Credit: NFL Films
The Cleveland Browns were the Steelers' biggest rival at the time and the 1970s Steelers dynasty completely and utterly humiliated Browns fans. The Steelers' four Super Bowls changed the dynamic of the rivalry, but when Harris threatened Jim Brown’s rushing record, the bitterness escalated. Brown was an outspoken critic of Harris, who he criticized for running out of bounds too often to avoid contact. Brown hated the idea that Harris would break the once-considered invulnerable all-time rushing record. He went so far as to state that he would come out of retirement at 47 years old to prevent it from happening.
Due to nagging injuries, Harris struggled to finish off the 1983 season with only 1,007 yards and Brown did not have to act on the ridiculous threat. Still, Harris only needed 362 yards in 1984 to make history entering the 1984 season. Harris breaking the all-time rushing record was widely anticipated. But when the contract negotiations stalled, the prevailing sentiment that the Steelers needed to move on, grew. Jack Ham, per Dan Rooney: My 75 Years With The Steelers And The NFL:
“We were old and our best days were behind us.”
Dan Rooney's regretful decision about Franco Harris
Dan Rooney approved the decision to waive Harris before the 1984 season, thus ending Harris' chase to break the record in a Steelers uniform. Harris was claimed by the Seattle Seahawks but played very little and would fall only 192 yards short of the record. It was a decision that Dan Rooney would later regret. Dan Rooney, per Dan Rooney: My 75 Years With The Steelers And The NFL:
“Franco impressed me beyond the football field. He’s one of the finest, most thoughtful and caring human beings I have ever known. I’ll always regret that his career didn’t end in Pittsburgh. He played one season for the Seattle Seahawks after we couldn’t come to terms on his contract. Looking back on it now, I wish I’d taken money out of my own pocket to seal the deal.”
There are a lot of what-if scenarios, including what if Franco did not endure some of the nicks and bruises that sidelined him in the 1970s. What if the 1982 season was not a strike-shortened season? What if Rooney went outside the team budget to enable Harris to break the record as a Steeler? It would have meant a lot to Harris, the city of Pittsburgh and would have been a fitting end to the career of the most important offensive player of the Steelers dynasty.
LATROBE, PA - JULY 1982: Rocky Bleier (L), sports reporter for WPXI television and a former running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, interviews running back Franco Harris #32 of the Steelers during summer training camp at St. Vincent College in July 1982 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
The decision definitely resonated with decisions such as Art Rooney II deciding for Ben Roethlisberger to have one last season in 2021, and with the offense finding a way to get Hines Ward to his 1,000th reception in 2011. It doesn’t always work out that way in the end for every player, but when the Rooney way is done, it only proves why the Steelers' way is the best way.
#SteelerNation
