Former quarterback Craig Morton, who died last Saturday at 83, played 18 seasons in the NFL and earned a place in the Denver Broncos Ring of Honor by helping lead them in 1977 to their first Super Bowl appearance.

But it took him a while to develop into that player. There were a number of bumps in the road in the early part of his career, and the Browns had a lot to do with that.

Taken by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round, at No. 5 overall, out of Cal in the 1965 NFL Draft, he played with them for nine seasons, through 1973. He was involved in three big games against the Browns in 1968 and ‘69.

Morton took over for starter Don Meredith in the Eastern Conference Championship Game against the Browns at Cleveland Stadium
on Dec. 21, 1968. The Cowboys, coming off two straight trips to the NFL Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, both losses, fell 31-20 to the Browns after beating them 28-7 at Dallas early in the regular season. Morton was just 9-of-23 passing for 163 yards For one touchdown with one interceptionin the playoff game.

Then in 1969, the Browns routed the Cowboys twice with Morton as the starter. The Browns won 42-10 on Nov. 2 at Cleveland in the regular season. While quarterback Bill Nelsen was throwing a franchise-record-tying five touchdown passes, two each to wide receivers Paul Warfield and Gary Collins, Morton really struggled, going 11-of-22 for 147 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked five times. The Browns led 28–3 at halftime and never looked back.

Then in the conference title game rematch, in a steady rain at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Dec. 28, the Browns won 38-14. Morton was 8-of-24 for just 92 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. One of the picks was by safety Walt Sumner, who returned it 88 yards for a touchdown to seal the deal for Cleveland, which had built a  24-0 lead by early in the third-quarter.

In those three games combined, Morton completed 28-of-69 passes for 402 yards and one touchdown with six interceptions.

Steve King