Maurice Morris facts for kids
Morris after a game on November 2, 2008
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| No. 20, 28 | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 1, 1979 Chester, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 216 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Chester | ||||||||||||
| College: | Oregon | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2002 / Round: 2 / Pick: 54 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Maurice Autora Morris (born December 1, 1979) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL). Maurice Morris played college football for the Oregon Ducks. He was chosen by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2002 NFL draft. He also played for the Detroit Lions during his NFL career.
Contents
Becoming a Football Star: Early Life & College Career
Maurice Morris grew up in Chester, South Carolina. He went to Chester High School. As a senior, he ran for over 1,600 yards. He also scored 25 touchdowns. Maurice holds several school records. These include most yards gained (3,708) and most touchdowns scored (45).
College Football Journey
Morris started his college football journey at Fresno City College in 1998. Later, he moved to the University of Oregon. There, he became the main running back for the Ducks. He helped his team win the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. In that big game, he scored an amazing 49-yard touchdown. He even landed on a defender and got up without touching the ground!
Playing in the NFL: Professional Career Highlights
Maurice Morris had a great career in the National Football League. He played for two different teams.
Seattle Seahawks: Years of Dedication
From 2002 to 2004, Morris was the main kickoff returner for the Seattle Seahawks. A kickoff returner is a player who catches the ball after the other team kicks it off. He then tries to run it back as far as possible.
Later, another player named Josh Scobey took over the kick returning duties. Maurice Morris didn't play much at first because he was behind Shaun Alexander. Alexander was a very famous player and won the MVP award in 2005.
Stepping Up for the Seahawks
Even though he didn't start often, his teammates noticed his hard work. Shaun Alexander once said that Morris was good enough to start for many other NFL teams. He believed Morris could gain a thousand rushing yards if given the chance.
In the 2005 playoffs, the Seahawks played the Washington Redskins. Alexander got a concussion (a head injury). Morris stepped in and played very well. He helped the Seahawks win that important game.
During the 2006 season, Alexander was injured for six games. Maurice Morris took his place as the main running back. He finished that season with 604 rushing yards. He played in all 16 regular season games. His best season was in 2007. He gained 628 rushing yards and scored 4 rushing touchdowns. He also scored 1 receiving touchdown.
Becoming a Feature Back
Before the 2008 season, the Seahawks signed Julius Jones. They also let Shaun Alexander go. It looked like Morris would be a backup again. However, Morris played very effectively. He eventually became the Seahawks' main running back later in the season. In the last six weeks of 2008, Morris had many more carries than Jones.
Detroit Lions: A New Chapter
On February 27, 2009, Maurice Morris signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Lions. He continued his NFL career with this team.
Personal Life
Maurice Morris is related to another NFL player. He is the cousin of D'Marco Jackson, who is a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints.
