- Earl Morrall, 1972 season
2. Jim Plunkett, 1980 season
3. Craig Morton, 1977 season - Kurt Warner, 2008 season
5. Randall Cunningham, 1998 season/George Blanda, 1960 season
Craig Morton’s career was dead. Stone cold corpse in a drainage ditch dead. After becoming the successor to Don Meredith, he had various injuries that wore him down, with Roger Staubach’s improvement and Tom Landry’s indifference adding to the trauma. Frustrated, he tried to sign with a WFL team, so the Cowboys traded him to the Giants for a draft pick that would become Randy White, a transaction that the Giants still haven’t forgotten.
As a Giant, Morton was miserable, which showed in his play. In two and a half seasons, he threw forty-nine interceptions, and by 1976 he’d worn out his welcome.
But then he was thrown a lifeline. The Denver Broncos had gone 9-5 in 1976 behind a tremendous defense and a sputtering run-first offense led by QB Steve Ramsey. New coach Red Miller wanted to incorporate more passing, and was probably the only person who looked at the beaten-up Morton and liked what he saw. So, Ramsey and Morton were basically traded for each other. And the magic began.
With an experienced (and finally healthy) Morton at the helm, the Broncos offense found their missing spark and Denver went 12-2 in 1977, and made it to the playoffs for the first time. As for Ramsey? He was released by the Giants before the season began. Ow.
The Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl, where the Cowboys (who knew all of Morton’s strengths and faults) made quick work of the Orange Crush. But that season established the Broncos as a legitimate franchise, and made Morton a folk hero.
How so? He would marry Miss Colorado. Helluva benefits package, there.
He would remain a Bronco for the rest of his career, and even had his best stats of his career in 1981, despite being sacked an NFL record 54 times. The following season was his last as injuries and age finally caught up with him, but he retired a hero in 1982.
And no one ever wore #7 again. Ever. Don’t show me pictures or stats. No one dared wear that number for the Broncos EVER AGAIN. Do you hear me? NO ONE!
Here’s a video showcasing some Craig Morton highlights!
