Former New York Giants quarterback Craig Morton, who navigated the team through some of its most challenging seasons in the 1970s, has passed away at the age of 83. Morton's family confirmed that he died peacefully at his home in Mill Valley, California, on May 9.
"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 heartfelt statement.
Morton's journey to New York began with a trade from the Dallas Cowboys six games into the 1974 season. In exchange for Morton, the Giants sent their first-round pick in the 1975 NFL draft and a second-rounder in 1976 to Dallas. At the time, Morton had lost the starting quarterback battle to future Hall of Famer Roger Staubach, making him expendable in Big D. Those picks would later haunt the Giants: the Cowboys used them to select Maryland defensive lineman Randy White, who carved out a Hall of Fame career, and versatile running back/tight end Jim Jensen.
Unfortunately, Morton struggled to find his footing in New York. Under head coach Bill Arnsparger's conservative "popgun" offense, he compiled a disappointing 8-25 record as a starter. Over his tenure, he threw for 5,734 yards with 29 touchdowns against 49 interceptions, completing just 52.1% of his passes. Morton became the face of the Giants' misery during a tumultuous era when the team played home games in three different stadiums across three states—the Yale Bowl, Shea Stadium, and Giants Stadium—while suffering through some of the worst drafts in franchise history.
In March 1977, the Giants decided to move on, trading Morton to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Steve Ramsey, a fifth-round pick in 1978, and a future sixth-round selection. The trade proved to be a career revival for Morton. He immediately led the Broncos to Super Bowl XII in the 1977 season, earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year and AFC Offensive Player of the Year honors. In a twist of fate, the Broncos fell to the Cowboys 27-10 in the Super Bowl, with Randy White—the very player drafted with the pick the Giants traded away—earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
Morton's story is a reminder that even in the darkest moments of a career, a change of scenery can spark greatness. For Giants fans, he remains a symbol of resilience during a challenging chapter in team history.