Current:Home > MarketsRunning back Mercury Morris, member of 'perfect' 1972 Dolphins, dies at 77-LoTradeCoin
Running back Mercury Morris, member of 'perfect' 1972 Dolphins, dies at 77
View Date:2024-12-24 09:15:40
Eugene "Mercury" Morris, a fleet-footed running back for eight NFL seasons and a key cog in the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, has died at the age of 77.
Morris teamed with backfield mates Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick as the Dolphins won back-to-back Super Bowls under coach Don Shula in 1972 and 1973.
Selected in the third round of the 1969 NFL draft out of West Texas A&M, Morris began his pro career as a kick returner, leading the NFL in kickoff return yardage as a rookie and taking one back 105 yards for a touchdown.
He became an effective change-of-pace back for the Dolphins, subbing in for the bruising Csonka, earning the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl honors in 1971.
Morris' best season came in Miami's perfect 1972 campaign. He rushed for an even 1,000 yards as he and Csonka became the first teammates in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in the same season. He also led the league that year with 12 rushing touchdowns as the Dolphins capped a 17-0 season with a 14-7 victory over Washington in Super Bowl 7.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Morris tallied 954 yards on an NFL-best 6.4 yards per carry in 1973 as he was again named a Pro Bowler and the Dolphins won a second consecutive Super Bowl.
He joined the San Diego Chargers for the final season of his career in 1976. He finished with 4,133 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns – 31 rushing, one receiving and three on kickoff returns.
After retiring, Morris became one of the most prominent members of the undefeated Dolphins in their annual celebrations. He coined the term "Perfectville" to describe their unique place in history, and was perhaps the most vocal defender of their greatness in comparison to other dominant NFL teams that would follow.
"I played on the best team ever," Morris once told The Palm Beach Post. "We had some of the best players from 1971-74, we had the best record in history those four years.
"We ruled the football world.”
veryGood! (226)
Related
- Donna Kelce Includes Sweet Nod to Taylor Swift During Today Appearance With Craig Melvin
- TikToker Alix Earle Reveals How Stepmom Ashley Dupré Helps Her Navigate Public Criticism
- Hurricane Idalia slams Florida's Gulf Coast, moves into Georgia. Here's what meteorologists say is next.
- Four people held in a problem-plagued jail have died over the span of a month
- Mississippi Valley State football player Ryan Quinney dies in car accident
- A sesame allergy law has made it harder to avoid the seed. Here's why
- The six teams that could break through and make their first College Football Playoff
- Mitch McConnell appears to freeze again during exchange with reporters
- Man gets a life sentence in the shotgun death of a New Mexico police officer
- Return to office mandates pick up steam as Labor Day nears but many employees resist
Ranking
- Today’s Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and More React to Craig Melvin Replacing Hoda Kotb as Co-Anchor
- 5 people shot in Illinois neighborhood and 2 are in critical condition
- The Complicated Truth About the Royal Family's Reaction to Princess Diana's Death
- The Fate of Elle Fanning's The Great Revealed
- Jake Paul's only loss led him to retool the team preparing him to face Mike Tyson
- 'AGT': Howie Mandel, Terry Crews' Golden Buzzer acts face off in Top 2 finale showdown
- Bengals coach Zac Taylor dispels idea Joe Burrow's contract status impacting availability
- American Airlines flight attendants take key step toward possible strike
Recommendation
-
Armie Hammer Says His Mom Gifted Him a Vasectomy for His 38th Birthday
-
‘The Equalizer 3’: All your burning questions about the Denzel Washington movie answered
-
Former deputy in Massachusetts indicted for allegedly threatening to blow up courthouse
-
Tropical Storm Idalia descends on North Carolina after pounding Florida, Georgia and South Carolina
-
Tennis Channel suspends reporter after comments on Barbora Krejcikova's appearance
-
Giuliani sanctioned by judge in defamation case brought by 2 Georgia election workers
-
Meg Ryan returns to rom-coms with 'What Happens Later' alongside David Duchovny: Watch trailer
-
What's your MBA GPA? Take our Summer School final exam to find out