Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton, who helped lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance and later guided the Denver Broncos to their first Super Bowl berth, has died at the age of 83.
Morton died Saturday in Mill Valley, California, according to statements released by the Broncos and confirmed by his family.
The California native became one of the defining quarterbacks of the Cowboys’ early years after Dallas selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft out of the University of California at Berkeley (Cal). He spent nearly a decade with the Cowboys, initially backing up Don Meredith before taking over as the starter in 1969.
Morton led Dallas to Super Bowl V following the 1970 season, marking the franchise’s first appearance in the championship game. The Cowboys lost to the Baltimore Colts, but Morton remained a key figure during the team’s rise into an NFL powerhouse. He later shared playing time with Roger Staubach during the 1971 season, and was a part of the team when Dallas captured its first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl VI in 1972, though he did not play in that game.
Morton was traded to the New York Giants during the 1974 season and appeared in 34 games with the franchise. He later revived his career in Denver, where he helped transform the Broncos into contenders.
In 1977, Morton guided Denver to the franchise’s first playoff appearance and first Super Bowl berth. The Broncos ultimately lost Super Bowl XII to Morton’s former Cowboys team. That same season, Morton earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors after throwing for career highs in completions, attempts, and passing yards at age 38.
He was the first NFL quarterback to start in the Super Bowl for two different teams, and one of only four quarterbacks ever to do so.
Over 18 NFL seasons with the Cowboys, Giants, and Broncos, Morton completed 2,053 passes for 27,908 yards with 183 touchdowns. He finished with an 81-62-1 record as a starting quarterback.
Morton also left a lasting legacy at the University of California. During his senior season in 1964, he led the nation with 2,121 passing yards and earned multiple All-America honors while finishing seventh in Heisman Trophy voting. He concluded his college career with then-Pac-8 records for passing yards and touchdown passes.
After retiring from playing professional football following the 1982 season, Morton worked as a coach with both the Broncos and the USFL’s Denver Gold. He also remained closely tied to Cal, later working in the university’s athletics development office until retiring in 2017.
Morton was inducted into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame in 1988 and entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2019, Cal honored him with the Glenn Seaborg Award for career accomplishments, reflecting the university’s values in academics, athletics, and leadership.
“We are saddened to hear of Craig’s passing. He was a great leader and teammate. Our thoughts are with his family and friends,” the Giants said in a statement on social media.
The Dallas Cowboys described Morton as a key part of their history, adding that he threw the first-ever touchdown pass in a Super Bowl.
“We are saddened to learn of Craig’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” the Dallas Cowboys posted on X.
Morton’s family posted a tribute to him on social media, describing him as “one of a kind” and “a man of quiet confidence and genuine warmth, generous to a fault, and funny in a way that snuck up on you.”
“He was the guy who showed up, did the work, took the hits, and never once complained about any of it. He had more grace under pressure than most people will ever know, and he carried that same grace into every part of his life off the field,” the Instagram post by kym_galloway_morton read.
Included in the post was a letter from Craig Morton to his fans, which you can read here.
