RIP Craig Morton

[MileHigh]

Quarterback started with the Cowboys but was the Broncos QB when the Orange Crush-led defense helped launch Denver onto the NFL map by making the playoffs for the first time and reaching Super Bowl XII in January 1978, beating the dreaded Raiders on New Year's Day 1978. My first memories of the Broncos as a child -- and being crushed when they lost to the Cowboys in New Orleans.

 

[Jake from State Farm]

Threw three fourth quarter interceptions for the Cowboys in Super Bowl V

 

[BTExpress]

Including the one Mike Curtis caught to set up the winning field goal.

Those two defenses were nasty, though.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Morton spent his first 9 complete seasons (and part of a 10th) with the Cowboys and started 47 games total (including all 14 in 1972, going 10-4), but there wasn't enough room on the roster for both him and Staubach. (The genesis of the saying, "If you've got two quarterbacks, you ain't got a quarterback.")

Fun fact: The 1974 mid-season trade of Morton to the Giants brought back a first-round draft pick. That turned out to be Randy White.

Morton was at the end of his career with the Broncos, taking them to the Roman Numeral Orgy at age 34 and then playing in Mile High for 5 more seasons. Then he handed off to Elway (sorta).

 

[micropolitan guy]

Another NFL QB from Cal, the latest being Fernando Mendoza.

 

[poindexter]

Another NFL QB from Cal, the latest being Fernando Mendoza.

Joe Kapp says hi

 

[Bubbler]

I only remember him as a Bronco. I recall his Indian summer season in 1981 when he and Steve Watson were a deadly combo. Thought it was **** that Elway took his number. RIP.

 

[Bubbler]

Joe Kapp says hi

Aaron Rodgers would say hi, but he’s in a fortress of solitude somewhere analyzing John C. Reilly’s fake Bob Dylan song from “Walk Hard” thinking it was a missive from the illuminati.

Or he’s just jerking off in the dark somewhere.

 

[poindexter]

Probably my first NFL memory as a kid was the starting qb competition between Staubach and Morton. At one point, the two were alternating series(?) quarters(?).

I lived in NJ so I think the Cowboys may have been America's Team even then.

The biggest controversy at the time was that the coach actually called the plays, not the qb!

 

[DanOregon]

Does Cal have the record for Super Bowl losing QBs? or is it Stanford? Cal has 5 if you count Morton twice and Ferragamo.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Joe Kapp says hi

Ken O'Brien, *******!!!!

(Cal-Davis counts, right?)

 

[poindexter]

Ken O'Brien, *******!!!!

(Cal-Davis counts, right?)

Are SUNY Cortland and SUNY Lake Oswego the same?

 

[DanielSimpsonDay]

Threw three fourth quarter interceptions for the Cowboys in Super Bowl V

...whose teams wilted in the postseason

 

[Jake from State Farm]

Joe Kapp says hi

So does Steve Bartkowski

 

[MTM]

Does Cal have the record for Super Bowl losing QBs? or is it Stanford? Cal has 5 if you count Morton twice and Ferragamo.

Rodgers and Goff the other two?

 

[poindexter]

Rodgers and Goff the other two?

Kapp

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Rodgers and Goff the other two?

I don't think Rodgers ever lost one. Never got back to one.

 

[MTM]

I don't think Rodgers ever lost one. Never got back to one.

True. My bad

 

[MTM]

ESPN list of SB starting QBs gives Ferragamo to Nebraska, where he finished.
Cal tops the list with 4.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...ges-produced-super-bowl-starting-quarterbacks

4

California: Aaron Rodgers, Jared Goff, Craig Morton, Joe Kapp

3

Notre Dame: Joe Montana, Joe Theismann, Daryle Lamonica

Alabama: Bart Starr, Joe Namath, Ken Stabler

Purdue: Drew Brees, Len Dawson, Bob Griese

2

Washington State: Drew Bledsoe, Mark Rypien

BYU: Steve Young, Jim McMahon

Boston College: Matt Ryan, Matt Hasselbeck

Stanford: John Elway, Jim Plunkett

LSU: Joe Burrow, David Woodley

Delaware: Joe Flacco, Rich Gannon

UCLA: Troy Aikman, Billy Kilmer

Georgia: Matthew Stafford, Fran Tarkenton

Maryland: Boomer Esiason, Neil O'Donnell

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Probably my first NFL memory as a kid was the starting qb competition between Staubach and Morton. At one point, the two were alternating series(?) quarters(?).

I lived in NJ so I think the Cowboys may have been America's Team even then.

The biggest controversy at the time was that the coach actually called the plays, not the qb!

I seem to recall reading that for one game, Landry actually had Staubach and Morton alternating plays (!). They lost the game and it never happened again.