Craig Morton, a former quarterback who led the Denver Broncos to their first-ever Super Bowl in 1978, passed away on May 9. He was 83.

Adam Schefter shared the news of Morton’s passing on May 11.

“Former quarterback Craig Morton, who led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance, passed away on May 9, his family confirmed,” the NFL insider wrote on Instagram. 

As per a report by USA Today, Morton spent his final hours in Mill Valley, California. The cause of his passing is not revealed.

In his 18-year-long career, he became the first quarterback in league history to start a Super Bowl for two different franchises, the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

Morton went fifth in the 1965 NFL draft to the Cowboys. His next stint was with the New York Giants in 1974, followed by the Broncos in 1977.

Morton was named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Year for his 1977 performance, and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in the same year.

He led the Broncos to Super Bowl XII during the 1977 season. Over six years in Denver, he also helped the team capture two division titles and make three playoff appearances. Morton finished his Broncos career with 11,895 passing yards, which stood as a franchise record at the time.

As the news of his passing was confirmed, condolences poured across social media. 

Football Community Deeply Saddened By Craig Morton's Passing

Under Schefter’s post, Morton’s fans from across franchises came together to send their love to his family.

One of them shared his memories of Morton.“RIP Craig Morton. I was 11 in 1977 basically the start of me becoming a Broncos fan, and still have vague memories of that year!” a fan wrote. Morton helped the Denver Broncos finish the season with a 12-2 mark before leading them to postseason wins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the then-Oakland Raiders.

Another fan remembered Morton from his college days at California. “I saw him in the early 60’s when he quarterbacked the California Golden Bears,” he wrote. Morton was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

One Broncos fan commented about their first Super Bowl Championship. "RIP! Got us to our first Super Bowl!” he wrote. He also led the Broncos with pass attempts (1,594) and completions (907).

A fan raved about Morton’s capabilities, especially his exceptional ‘77 season with the Orange Crush defense. “He started Super Bowl V for the Cowboys, but what he and the Orange Crush D pulled off in the 77’ season was his career best. RIP Craig. A really nice man.” He was selected for the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1988.

Morton is survived by his wife, Kym, his sister, his children, and his grandchildren. Our thoughts remain with them.

Share your thoughts and memories of Craig Morton in the comments below.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar