Current:Home > MarketsRunning back Mercury Morris, member of 'perfect' 1972 Dolphins, dies at 77 -EquityExchange
Running back Mercury Morris, member of 'perfect' 1972 Dolphins, dies at 77
View
Date:2025-04-18 06:46:01
Eugene "Mercury" Morris, a fleet-footed running back for eight NFL seasons and a key cog in the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, has died at the age of 77.
Morris teamed with backfield mates Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick as the Dolphins won back-to-back Super Bowls under coach Don Shula in 1972 and 1973.
Selected in the third round of the 1969 NFL draft out of West Texas A&M, Morris began his pro career as a kick returner, leading the NFL in kickoff return yardage as a rookie and taking one back 105 yards for a touchdown.
He became an effective change-of-pace back for the Dolphins, subbing in for the bruising Csonka, earning the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl honors in 1971.
Morris' best season came in Miami's perfect 1972 campaign. He rushed for an even 1,000 yards as he and Csonka became the first teammates in NFL history to run for 1,000 yards in the same season. He also led the league that year with 12 rushing touchdowns as the Dolphins capped a 17-0 season with a 14-7 victory over Washington in Super Bowl 7.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Morris tallied 954 yards on an NFL-best 6.4 yards per carry in 1973 as he was again named a Pro Bowler and the Dolphins won a second consecutive Super Bowl.
He joined the San Diego Chargers for the final season of his career in 1976. He finished with 4,133 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns – 31 rushing, one receiving and three on kickoff returns.
After retiring, Morris became one of the most prominent members of the undefeated Dolphins in their annual celebrations. He coined the term "Perfectville" to describe their unique place in history, and was perhaps the most vocal defender of their greatness in comparison to other dominant NFL teams that would follow.
"I played on the best team ever," Morris once told The Palm Beach Post. "We had some of the best players from 1971-74, we had the best record in history those four years.
"We ruled the football world.”
veryGood! (456)
Related
- What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
- New York man convicted of murdering woman who wound up in his backcountry driveway after wrong turn
- Costco, Sam's Club replicas of $1,200 Anthropologie mirror go viral
- What is Dixville Notch? Why a small New Hampshire town holds its primary voting at midnight
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Ryan Gosling Calls Out Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Oscars Snubs
- The 2024 Oscar Nominations Are Finally Here
- CDC declares end of cantaloupe salmonella outbreak that killed 6, sickened more than 400
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Victor Wembanyama shows glimpses of Spurs' future at halfway point of rookie season
Ranking
- Intellectuals vs. The Internet
- Police officer pleads guilty to accidentally wounding 6 bystanders while firing at armed man
- After long delay, Virginia lawmakers advance nominees for powerful regulatory jobs
- Amy Robach Says Her and T.J. Holmes' Careers Were Taken From Them Amid Romance
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- U.S. and U.K. conduct airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen
- Nearly 1,000 manatees have record-breaking gathering at Florida state park amid ongoing mortality event
- Remains of Green River Killer's 49th and last known victim identified as teen Tammie Liles — but other cases still unsolved
Recommendation
Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
Former Georgia bulldog mascot Uga X dies with 2 national championships during his term
New Hampshire takeaways: Trump’s path becomes clearer. So does the prospect of a rematch with Biden.
Powerball jackpot at $145 million after January 22 drawing; See winning numbers
As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
Former orphanage founder in Haiti faces federal charges of sexually abusing minors
Kansas lawmakers want a report on last year’s police raid of a newspaper
Poland’s president pardons 2 imprisoned politicians from previous conservative government -- again