Craig Morton Dies at 83; QB for Cowboys, Broncos

Craig Morton, the first QB to start the Super Bowl for two franchises, died at 83. He led the Broncos after years with Dallas and New York.

Craig Morton, the quarterback who made history by starting the Super Bowl for two different franchises, has died at 83.

Morton died Saturday in Mill Valley. California. the Broncos confirmed through his family. closing the chapter on a long NFL career that left a mark on two storied franchises.. He spent 18 years in the league and became the first quarterback to reach the sport’s biggest stage as a starter for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos.

Morton is among a small group of quarterbacks who started the NFL’s biggest game with two organizations.. Peyton Manning. Tom Brady and Kurt Warner are the others; all of them finished their careers with at least one Super Bowl win.. Morton’s only Super Bowl ring came later, when he was part of a championship team as a backup.

His first Super Bowl start came in Super Bowl V for the 1970 season, during a game remembered for its turnovers. Dallas lost 16-13 to the Colts, and Morton still managed a notable milestone by throwing the Cowboys’ first touchdown pass in the title contest.

Seven years later. after an unsuccessful stretch with the New York Giants. Morton faced his former team again in a Super Bowl matchup with Dallas.. He threw for 39 yards but also threw four interceptions, before being replaced by Norris Weese in a 27-10 loss.. That defeat became the first in a run of four straight Super Bowl losses for Denver.

Known for a strong arm, Morton developed an elite reputation well before his professional peak. He enjoyed a Hall of Fame college football career at the University of California, where he played for head coach Marv Levy and assistant Bill Walsh, a partnership that shaped his early development.

Morton was selected in the 1965 NFL draft, going fifth overall to the Cowboys. He was also taken in the AFL draft in the 10th round by Oakland, reflecting the attention he drew as a quarterback prospect.

When Morton joined Dallas, the Cowboys were coached by Tom Landry and already featured veteran Don Meredith at quarterback.. Morton appeared in four games during his rookie season. then shared playing time with the rising Roger Staubach in 1970 and 1971. a period that culminated in the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl.

Even as Staubach’s role expanded, Morton remained part of the rotation. The two quarterbacks split time during the next season as well, at times even alternating on a play-by-play basis, before Dallas ultimately shifted toward Staubach as the clear starter.

That decision helped set up the end of Morton’s Dallas chapter. Staubach took the lead role and later guided the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and a 24-3 win over Miami, with Staubach named the game’s MVP. For Morton, the writing on the wall became difficult to miss.

Dallas moved Morton to the New York Giants in 1974, trading him for a package that included a draft pick. That pick was used by the Cowboys to select defensive lineman Randy White, who would go on to become a Super Bowl MVP and eventually a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Morton’s time in New York struggled to find the same footing he had in Dallas. His career changed direction after the Broncos acquired him before the 1977 season, a move that helped spark what the team’s supporters would soon describe as a new era.

The Broncos had hired Red Miller as head coach, inheriting a defense that became known as the Orange Crush. Morton arrived as a veteran presence and became the final piece of a team that quickly found its footing, finishing 12-2 and earning playoff victories over the Steelers and Raiders.

One of Morton’s most vivid postseason moments came during that stretch. when he spent a week in the hospital with a hip injury but still pushed forward to spearhead a win over rival Oakland.. The story underscored both his toughness and the pressure of a franchise that was determined to move beyond early disappointment.

The next major shift came after 1981.. Morton was again at the center of Denver’s plan when the team worked unsuccessfully to find his replacement and. instead. leaned on him alongside new coach Dan Reeves.. In 1981, Morton threw for 3,195 yards and 21 touchdowns, both career highs and matching his best total for touchdowns.

Morton retired after starting three games during the strike-shortened 1982 season. After his final NFL run ended, Denver traded for John Elway, who eventually supplanted Morton as the franchise’s most famous and revered No. 7.

Across his career, Morton threw for 27,908 yards with 183 touchdown passes and 187 interceptions. At the time of his retirement following the 1982 season, he ranked in the top 20 all-time in both passing yards and touchdown passes.

The Broncos honored him for the impact he had on their history. Morton was voted into the team’s Ring of Fame in 1988, along with two other key standouts from the 1977 roster: Haven Moses and Jim Turner.

Morton’s story also reflects a broader football era in which quarterbacks often shared roles and competed for starting jobs even when the franchise’s long-term identity was still forming.. For Denver. his peak years arrived at the precise moment the team’s defense and coaching direction were converging. helping establish a foundation that would define the franchise’s reputation for years after.

Craig Morton Cowboys quarterback Broncos quarterback Super Bowl V Orange Crush NFL history