STEELERS Bettis needs 5 more yards to surpass Harris

The former running back got all but 170 of his 12,120 yards with Pittsburgh.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Jerome Bettis is 5 yards away from overtaking Franco Harris on the NFL career rushing list, a pending accomplishment generating more than passing interest in a city that still reveres Harris.
Nearly 20 years after his retirement, Harris remains as visible in Pittsburgh as any player from the Steelers' four Super Bowl teams of the 1970s. He owns a business, is a regular in TV commercials and makes personal appearances.
"He's passing up Franco, and that does mean a lot around here," lineman Alan Faneca said Wednesday. "I'll bet he [Bettis] feels the same way, too."
Personal appearance
He does. When Harris appeared on Bettis' weekly TV show to offer congratulations, it meant considerably more to Bettis than a quick handshake on the sidelines or a cell phone call.
"He said it couldn't happen to a better person, and if there was anyone he wanted to pass him, it would be me," Bettis said. "That was an honor for him to say something like that. He was a back I always circled as, if I passed him, it would be great."
That Bettis might do it this season, and for the same team with which Harris ran for all but 170 of his 12,120 yards, also is special to Bettis -- especially given how this season started.
Cast off by his first NFL team, the Rams, after three seasons, Bettis had flashbacks to that disappointment when Amos Zereoue was chosen during training camp as the starter.
When that experiment didn't work -- Zereoue had more carries for zero or minus yards than any NFL rusher -- Bettis returned to the lineup Oct. 26 against St. Louis. Maybe he wasn't good as he was during his six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1996-2001, but he's provided an upgrade over what the Steelers (5-8) were getting.
After gaining only 313 yards in 10 games, Bettis has 261 yards the last three weeks. His 106 yards Sunday against Oakland represented only his second 100-yard game in 2 1/2 seasons and the Steelers' first in 15 games.
"I've been given an opportunity during the second half of the season and I've made the best of it," said Bettis, who doesn't know if the Steelers will bring him back next season. "Where that takes me, I can't control, unfortunately. But I want to leave a lasting impression."
Closing in on others
Bettis, who has 12,116 yards, could pass up not only Harris, but No. 7 Marcus Allen and No. 6 Jim Brown before the season ends, starting with Sunday's game against the Jets (5-8) and their league-worst rushing defense.
Bettis needs 128 yards to go past Allen (12,243) and 197 to overtake Brown (12,312).
Bettis missed most of the second half of the 2001 and 2002 seasons with injuries, another reason why he is enjoying this late-season comeback.
"It's more satisfying, but it's still disappointing because the season hasn't been what we expected," he said. "Wherever I finish this year is where I finish. I didn't come into the season looking for a certain number."