Dennis Morgan (American football) facts for kids

Dennis Morgan was an American football player. He was a talented running back. He played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played college football at Western Illinois University. Dennis was born on June 26, 1952, and passed away on October 25, 2015.

Growing Up and High School Sports

Dennis Morgan grew up in White Plains, New York. He went to White Plains Senior High School. In 1969, he was part of an amazing football team. That team did not lose a single game!

Dennis was also great at other sports. He earned special awards for playing track and baseball. He even set a national high school record. He ran the indoor 40-yard dash in just 4.3 seconds. That's super fast!

College Football Journey

Dennis first went to Bradley University. He became the starting running back as a freshman. But then, Bradley University stopped its football program.

So, Dennis transferred to Western Illinois University. He played as a running back there for three seasons. He also returned kickoffs for his team.

As a junior, he was really good at returning kickoffs. He averaged over 30 yards per return. In his senior year, he averaged almost 20 yards per punt return. By the end of his college career, he had rushed for 1,254 yards. He averaged 4.7 yards every time he carried the ball. In 1972, he was even named an honorable-mention NAIA All-American.

Playing in the NFL

Dallas Cowboys Experience

The Dallas Cowboys picked Dennis Morgan in the 1974 NFL Draft. He was chosen in the tenth round. People called him "Strawberry" because of his red hair. He started his professional career playing on special teams.

As a rookie, Dennis made history! He returned a punt for 98 yards. This was a touchdown against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the longest punt return in NFL history at that time. It was also a record for the Cowboys team.

That season, he was one of the best in the NFL for punt returns. He averaged 15.1 yards per return. He also led his team in both punt return yards (287) and kickoff return yards (823). The Cowboys let him go from the team on August 4, 1975.

Time with the Philadelphia Eagles

Just two days later, on August 6, 1975, the Philadelphia Eagles picked up Dennis. He played in four games for them. He gained 170 yards from kickoff returns. He also gained 60 yards from punt returns. The Eagles released him on October 17, 1975.

Later Life

After his football career, Dennis Morgan joined the United States Army. He passed away on October 25, 2015. He had a heart attack while watching a football game. It was a game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.