Craig Morton, first QB to start Super Bowl for two teams, dies at 83

Craig Morton, a quarterback who played 18 years in the NFL, died Saturday in Mill Valley, California, the Broncos confirmed. He was 83. Morton made history as the first quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two franchises — the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos.

Only four quarterbacks have ever started a Super Bowl for two teams. The other three — Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Kurt Warner — all won at least one championship. Morton never won a Super Bowl as a starter, though he earned one ring as a backup.

Morton started Super Bowl V following the 1970 season. Playing for the Cowboys, he threw a touchdown pass in the title game but also committed multiple turnovers in a 16-13 loss to the Colts. Seven years later, Morton led the Broncos against his former team in Super Bowl XII, throwing for 39 yards and four interceptions before being pulled from the game in a 27-10 defeat.

Before his time in Denver, Morton played college football at California under coach Marv Levy and assistant Bill Walsh. The Cowboys selected him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL draft. Oakland also chose him in the 10th round of the AFL draft that same year.

Morton joined a Cowboys team coached by Tom Landry with veteran Don Meredith at quarterback. In his first season, he appeared in four games. He later split time with Roger Staubach in 1970 and 1971, when Dallas reached its first Super Bowl. By the next season, Staubach took over the starting role and led the Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory over Miami.

The Cowboys traded Morton to the New York Giants in 1974, receiving a package that included a draft pick used to select defensive lineman Randy White, who became a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Famer. After struggling in New York, Morton was traded to Denver before the 1977 season.

With the Broncos, Morton experienced a career renaissance. Under new coach Red Miller, he led Denver to a 12-2 record and playoff wins over the Steelers and Raiders. Morton notably played in Super Bowl XII just a week after spending time in the hospital with a hip injury. The Broncos' dominant defense became known as the Orange Crush.

Four years later, Morton reunited with Dan Reeves, his former Cowboys teammate who had become the Broncos head coach. In 1981, Morton threw for 3,195 yards and 21 touchdowns, both career highs. He retired after the strike-shortened 1982 season, having thrown for 27,908 yards, 183 touchdowns, and 187 interceptions over his career.

The Broncos inducted Morton into their Ring of Fame in 1988, along with Haven Moses and Jim Turner, two other standouts from the 1977 team. Denver later traded for John Elway, who became the franchise's most famous quarterback at that position.