Mercury Morris, a staple on the legendary Miami Dolphins teams of the 1970s, has died at the age of 77, the team announced on Sunday.
Morris played seven of his eight NFL seasons for the Dolphins, winning two Super Bowls and earning three Pro Bowl selections during his Miami tenure.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dolphins great Mercury Morris, two-time Super Bowl champion and beloved member of the 1972 Perfect Team," the Dolphins said in a statement. "Morris left a lasting impact through his dynamic play, personality and record-breaking performances. He loved the Dolphins, the fans and the community of South Florida and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest players to don the aqua and orange. Our hearts are with his family, loved ones and teammates as they honor his life and mourn his passing."
An All-American in college at West Texas A&M, Morris was picked by Miami in the third round of the 1969 AFL-NFL Draft -- a season after the Dolphins selected running backs Larry Czonka and Jim Kiick. Together, the trio would comprise one of the most formidable rushing stables in NFL lore.
In 99 career games, Morris rushed for 4,133 yards and 31 touchdowns on 804 carries (5.1 yards per carry), adding 2,947 yards (26.5 per return) and three touchdowns on kick returns. All told, Morris' career saw him produce 7,794 yards.
Morris mixed big-play ability into the Dolphins' RB trio and made his mark initially on special teams as he backed up Kiick at halfback.
Morris made an instant impact for the Dolphins with his game-changing explosiveness. Highlighted by a 105-yard kick return for a score in his very first game, Morris led the league in kick returns (43) and kick return yards (1,136) as a Dolphins rookie in 1969.
From 1971-73, Morris went to three consecutive Pro Bowls and perhaps it was no coincidence that the Dolphins went to three straight Super Bowls in the same span.
Though dismayed with his playing time in the 1971 season, Morris made the most of his touches. He rushed for 315 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry and had 423 kick returns with an AFC-leading 28.2-yard average. Miami would lose to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, 24-3, however. Morris didn't have a carry or catch in the game but returned four kickoffs (22.5-yard average).
It was in the '72 and '73 season that Morris emerged as the explosive running back who perhaps he had been all the time.
During the Dolphins' magical 1972 undefeated season, Morris rushed for a league-leading 12 touchdowns and finished with 1,000 yards even on the ground. It was his only 1,000-yard campaign and he teamed up with Czonka, who had 1,117 yards, as the first 1,000-yard duo in NFL history.
As the Dolphins wrapped up their 17-0 campaign with a Super Bowl VII victory over Washington, Morris had 10 carries for 34 yards in the game as Czonka led the offense on a day dominated by the Miami defense.
A season later, Morris, now the starting halfback for Miami, led the NFL with an eye-popping 6.4 yards per carry. He had 954 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was a driving force in the Dolphins repeating as Super Bowl champs with a win over the Minnesota Vikings.
In 1974, Czonka elected to play for the fledgling World Football League and opened the door for Morris to become the Dolphins' primary rusher. However, a knee injury cut his campaign to five games.
Morris returned impressively in 1975 with 875 yards rushing and four touchdowns, but it proved to be his final year with the Dolphins and the penultimate season of his NFL career. He was traded to the Chargers ahead of the 1976 season, which he retired after.
In 1982, Morris was convicted on charges of cocaine trafficking, cocaine possession and conspiracy. Originally sentenced to 20 years in state prison, Morris' conviction was overturned, and he was released after serving three years following a plea bargain. He later made a public service announcement talking about his time in prison and would go on to become a motivational speaker.
A native of Pittsburgh, Eugene Edward Morris was nicknamed Mercury for his mercurial quickness and athleticism. It's one of the most recognized nicknames in NFL chronical and Morris was one of the biggest contributors to those legendary 1970s Dolphins teams.
