Franco Harris tribute nominated for News & Doc Emmy

The legacy of Franco Harris continues to be honored, more than 7 months after his passing. A tribute that aired in the days after his death has been nominated for a News & Doc Emmy.

On Christmas Eve, ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown aired a piece called “Phil & Franco.” The package followed former Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano, as he looked back at the Immaculate Reception, 50 years later. It features an interview with Franco from September 2022. There’s some great footage of Franco walking into the heart of a Raiders tailgate.

To this day, Villapiano says he was clipped on the Immaculate Reception, but the play created a bond between the two that lasted Franco’s entire life. “Phil & Franco” is nominated in the category of Outstanding Soft Feature: Short Form along with four others. It’s one of only two nominations for ESPN this year. The awards will be handed out on Sept 27th.

OUTSTANDING SOFT FEATURE STORY: SHORT FORM

• CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute (CNN): Nelly Cheboi – Upcycling Tech to Uplift Lives
• I Stutter (NY Times): Meet the Woman Fighting for the Rights of Voters Who Can’t Read (ProPublica)
• Nightline (ABC): Swimming While Black
• Sunday NFL Countdown (ESPN): Phil & Franco
• Vice News Tonight (Vice): Airlines are Turning to Black Women to Save Them