Kenny Pickett's Steelers career started with an exclamation.

"This is incredible!"

After being handed the card containing the Steelers' first-round selection at this past April's NFL Draft, Steelers legend Franco Harris could barely contain his excitement and approval of the who his old club was taking. Playing to the crowd, shaking the card and repeating "I love this," Mr. Harris was the one to officially announce Pickett was a Steeler.

"One of the best moments of my life, outside of family and getting engaged, was that draft night," Pickett said Thursday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "Seeing the emotion he had when I was drafted, how he intro'd the call. It's obviously so special, but I think the way he did it made it that much more special."

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Mr. Harris died Wednesday at the age of 72, just two days shy of the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, the play that launched his career and took the Steelers from doormat to one of the NFL's elite. Mr. Harris' football journey brought him to the Hall of Fame in Canton, but talking to Pickett, Pittsburgh was still on his heart.

"Everywhere he's been, I think you just hear about how great a person he was," Pickett said. "I can't stress that enough, how genuine he was when you were talking to him. He was so into the conversation. What was going on with me, [stuff] outside of football, how I was adjusting to the city. Obviously I was here for college, but being a pro player in the city vs. being a college player. Where I was living, how my family was doing. He was just so genuine. I can't say enough great things about the kind of person he was."

Mr. Harris was set to be honored and have his No. 32 retired at halftime during Saturday's game against the Raiders. Even though he won't be there, Harris will still be on the Steelers' minds this weekend.

"It's tough. It stuns you," Pickett said. "We had a team meeting. We talked about it for a good amount of time. He would want us to be focused and go out to practice, practice hard and get the win on Saturday. So we're definitely playing for him this week."

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