When Jerome Bettis came to Pittsburgh in 1996, it was a fresh start, the beginning of a new chapter in a city known for its toughness and blue-collar grit. Bettis wasn’t an NFL rookie, but he was just starting his journey with the Steelers. And the offseason after he rushed for 1,431 yards but injured his groin in the Steelers’ Divisional Round playoff loss brought challenges that threatened to stall his momentum.
Enter Franco Harris, the legendary Steelers running back whose name is synonymous with Pittsburgh football. Harris didn’t just greet Bettis, he took him under his wing.