Craig Morton, quarterback who led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance, dead at 83

Former Denver Broncos backmost Craig Morton, who was inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame, died connected Saturday. He was 83.

Morton was captious successful helping the Broncos scope their first-ever playoff appearance, yet getting them to Super Bowl XII during the 1977 campaign.

After going 12-2 during the season, and getting wins successful the playoffs implicit the Pittsburgh Steelers and then-Oakland Raiders, Morton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Year.

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Denver Broncos backmost Craig Morton stands connected the sidelines with some hands connected his hips. (GETTY)

"Craig Morton is unbelievable," chap Ring of Famer Haven Moses said aft the Broncos won the AFC Championship successful 1978, per the New York Times. "To me, he’s the astir invaluable subordinate successful the National Football League."

Morton besides won Sporting News Player of the Year, the PFWA Comeback Player of the Year and the NFL UPI MVP successful 1977.

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"We are saddened to larn of the passing of #BroncosROF backmost Craig Morton, who died connected Saturday astatine the property of 83," the Broncos posted connected societal media.

Morton besides led the Broncos to 2 antithetic part titles and 3 playoff berths during his six seasons with the franchise. He finished his vocation successful Denver with 11,895 passing yards, which marked the astir successful franchise past astatine the time.

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Quarterback Craig Morton #7 of the Denver Broncos drops backmost to walk during an NFL crippled astatine Mile High Stadium successful Denver, Colo., circa 1978. Morton played for the Broncos from 1977 to 1982. (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)

Morton besides led the Broncos with walk attempts (1,594) and completions (907). But Morton’s clip with the Broncos was the second fractional of his NFL career.

He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys successful 1965, the 5th wide prime retired of Cal. Morton spent the archetypal 10 seasons of his vocation with the Cowboys, wherever helium threw for 10,279 yards with 80 touchdowns and 73 interceptions. He went 32-14-1 successful his clip with Dallas.

Then, during the 1974 season, Morton was moved to the New York Giants, a part rival of the Cowboys. He went 1-6 successful his archetypal 7 starts that twelvemonth and wouldn’t find overmuch occurrence successful New York crossed 3 seasons.

Quarterback Craig Morton #7 of the Denver Broncos drops backmost to walk during an NFL crippled astatine Mile High Stadium successful Denver, Colo., circa 1978. Morton played for the Broncos from 1977 to 1982. (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)

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For his career, Morton threw for 27,908 yards with 183 touchdowns. He owned an 81-62-1 grounds crossed 207 games.