Dallas, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys community is mourning following the passing of legendary quarterback Craig Morton at the age of 83 this past weekend.
Morton’s passing has not only saddened Cowboys fans, but also left a major emotional void within the long and historic legacy of the NFL.
Craig Morton played 18 NFL seasons and became one of the most important quarterbacks in the history of the Dallas Cowboys franchise decades ago.
The Cowboys selected Morton with the No. 5 overall pick in the 1965 NFL Draft during an era when the franchise was still evolving.
At first, Morton served as the backup to Don Meredith before officially becoming the Cowboys’ starting quarterback during the 1969 NFL season afterward.
He quickly helped lead Dallas onto football’s biggest stage by guiding the franchise into the historic Super Bowl V championship game appearance.
Morton also became the first quarterback in Cowboys history to throw a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl despite Dallas eventually losing to Baltimore.
Not long afterward, the Cowboys entered one of the most famous quarterback competitions in NFL history between Morton and Roger Staubach during the early 1970s.
Staubach ultimately secured the permanent starting role in 1971 when Dallas finished the season by winning the legendary Super Bowl VI championship title.
Even so, Morton continued playing an extremely important role during several following seasons whenever the Cowboys needed leadership, experience, and stability under pressure.
During the 1972 season, Morton started 15 games after Staubach suffered an injury and helped Dallas remain among the NFC’s top contenders consistently.
In 1974, the Cowboys traded Morton to the New York Giants in a move that later significantly impacted franchise history for many years afterward.
Dallas received a 1st round pick from the Giants and later used that selection to draft future Hall of Fame legend Randy White.
Ironically, one of Randy White’s most memorable performances eventually came against Craig Morton himself during the historic Super Bowl XII matchup years later.
At that time, Morton quarterbacked the Denver Broncos while the Cowboys’ legendary Doomsday Defense completely overwhelmed Denver during the Super Bowl victory famously remembered today.
Throughout his remarkable NFL career, Morton played for the Cowboys, Giants, and Broncos before officially retiring following the conclusion of the 1982 NFL season.
He finished his career with 27,908 passing yards, ranking ahead of Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath on the NFL’s historical passing list then.
The Dallas Cowboys organization quickly released an official statement expressing condolences to Morton’s family, friends, and everyone mourning his heartbreaking passing this weekend publicly.
Many Cowboys fans also shared photographs, highlights, and emotional memories of Morton across social media throughout the hours following the tragic announcement recently online.
For generations of Dallas Cowboys supporters, Craig Morton was never simply a quarterback, but a symbol of the franchise’s formative years and historic rise.
A major piece of Cowboys history has now passed away forever, but Craig Morton’s legacy will continue living inside Dallas football for generations to come.
