NFL legend and Super Bowl champion Craig Morton has passed away at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy that spans nearly two decades of professional football. Morton, who famously suited up for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos, died peacefully on Saturday, May 9, surrounded by family in Mill Valley, California. The Broncos confirmed the news, though no cause of death has been released.
Born in Flint, Michigan, Morton's football journey began at the University of California, Berkeley, where he starred for the Golden Bears before being selected by the Cowboys in the 1965 NFL Draft. By 1969, he had earned the starting quarterback role, a position he would hold through some of the most memorable moments in NFL history. After nine seasons in Dallas, Morton spent three years with the Giants before finishing his career with six standout seasons in Denver.
Morton etched his name in the record books in 1978 when he became the first starting quarterback to play in the Super Bowl for two different teams. He led the Cowboys to the big game in 1971—falling short—before watching from the sideline as Dallas won it all the following year. Then, in 1978, he guided the Broncos to the Super Bowl, only to face his former team, the Cowboys, in a dramatic matchup that ended in defeat. It was a testament to his resilience and skill that he could lead two franchises to the sport's biggest stage.
His 1977 season was nothing short of remarkable, earning him both NFL Comeback Player of the Year and AFC Offensive Player of the Year honors. When Morton retired after the 1982 season, having started just three games that year, he ranked among the top 20 all-time in passing yards and touchdown passes—a remarkable feat in an era before the pass-heavy offenses of today.
All three of Morton's former teams paid heartfelt tributes. The Broncos expressed their sadness in a social media post, the Cowboys sent thoughts and prayers to his family, and the Giants remembered him as a "great leader and teammate." In 1988, just six years after retirement, Morton was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame, and in 1992, he earned a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame for his standout career at Cal.
Archie Manning, the former NFL quarterback and NFF chairman, summed it up best: "Craig Morton embodied excellence on and off the field." For fans of vintage NFL gear and Broncos, Cowboys, or Giants memorabilia, Morton's legacy is one of grit, versatility, and a never-say-die attitude that defined an era of football.