Earl Morrall facts for kids
Morrall in 1965
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
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| Born: | May 17, 1934 Muskegon, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Died: | April 25, 2014 (aged 79) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||
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| High school: | Muskegon (MI) | ||||||||
| College: | Michigan State | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1956 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Earl Edwin Morrall (born May 17, 1934 – died April 25, 2014) was a professional football player. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. Earl Morrall was known for being one of the best backup quarterbacks in NFL history. He often stepped in for famous quarterbacks like Johnny Unitas and Bob Griese.
Morrall is especially remembered for helping the Baltimore Colts win Super Bowl V. He also helped the Miami Dolphins achieve their amazing perfect season in 1972. He took over when Bob Griese was injured early in that season.
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Earl Morrall's Early Life and Sports
Earl Morrall grew up in Muskegon, Michigan. He was a star athlete at Muskegon High School. In 1951, he led his high school football team to a state championship. The next year, 1952, he also helped his baseball team win a state championship. He even stole home in that game!
After high school, Morrall went to Michigan State University. He played football for the Michigan State Spartans football team for three seasons. In 1955, he led his team to a great 9–1 record. His senior year ended with a big win against the UCLA Bruins in the 1956 Rose Bowl.
Morrall was also a talented baseball player at Michigan State. He played shortstop and third baseman and even played in the College World Series. He had a chance to play professional baseball, but he chose to play football instead.
Earl Morrall's NFL Journey
Earl Morrall played for six different teams during his 21 years in the NFL. He was first picked by the San Francisco 49ers in 1956. He played in a few games that year.
Playing for the Steelers and Lions
In 1957, Morrall was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started most of their games that year. He threw for 1,900 yards and 11 touchdowns. A little over a year later, he was traded to the Detroit Lions. He played for the Lions for six years. His best season with them was in 1963. He threw for over 2,600 yards and 24 touchdowns. In 1964, he got a shoulder injury that ended his season.
Time with the Giants and Colts
After recovering, Morrall was traded to the New York Giants in 1965. He threw for 2,446 yards and 22 touchdowns that season. He later broke his wrist in 1966. The Giants then got Fran Tarkenton, so Morrall played less often.
In 1968, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts. This was a big year for him. The Colts' main quarterback, Johnny Unitas, was injured. Morrall stepped in and played the entire season. He led the Colts to win almost every game. He threw for 2,909 yards and 26 touchdowns. The Colts won the NFL Championship that year. However, they lost Super Bowl III in a big upset against the New York Jets.
Morrall got another chance in Super Bowl V. Unitas got hurt during the game, and Morrall came in. Even though he threw an interception, the Colts managed to stay in the game. Thanks to some turnovers by the other team and a field goal, the Colts won 16–13. This gave Morrall his first Super Bowl ring.
The Perfect Season with the Dolphins
In 1972, Morrall joined the Miami Dolphins. Their coach was Don Shula, who had also coached him in Baltimore. The Dolphins' starting quarterback, Bob Griese, got injured early in the season. Morrall stepped in again. He started the remaining nine games of the season. He won all of them! He threw 11 touchdowns and helped the Dolphins achieve a perfect 17–0 record. This was the first undefeated regular season in the NFL since 1942.
Morrall started the first two playoff games for the Dolphins. They won both. In the AFC Championship game, Griese came back into the game. Griese then started Super Bowl VII, which the Dolphins won. This completed their historic perfect season, and Morrall earned another Super Bowl ring.
Earl Morrall played a few more seasons with the Dolphins. He retired from football on May 2, 1977. He played in 255 games during his career. He completed 1,379 passes for 20,809 yards and 161 touchdowns. He had a great record as a starter, winning 63 games, losing 36, and tying 3. In 2015, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in Miami Dolphins history.
Morrall was chosen for the Pro Bowl twice, in 1957 and 1968. He was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1968. He was also the AFC MVP in 1972.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Earl Morrall became a quarterback coach at the University of Miami in 1979. He worked with future NFL stars like Jim Kelly and Vinny Testaverde.
Later, in 1989, he was elected to the city council in Davie, Florida. He even became the mayor of Davie.
Earl Morrall passed away on April 25, 2014, at the age of 79. After his death, doctors examined his brain. They found a condition that affects the brain.
Images for kids
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Morrall in 1965
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Morrall (left) running a play for the Colts in Super Bowl V
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Morrall in 1976
