MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.-- Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, has died, the team said Sunday.Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was 77.
In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.”“Beyond the field, Mercury was a devoted father, a loving brother, a loyal friend, and a pillar in the community,” his family wrote in the statement.“His presence extended far beyond football, as he touched the lives of many throughout his time in Miami.”Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick.
Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons, finishing with an NFL-best 12 in 1972 and then 10 more in 1973.Those two seasons — the best in Dolphins’ history — just happened to be the best of Morris’ eight-year career as well.He rushed for a career-high 1,000 yards in 1972, then ran for 954 more along with a league-best 6.4 yards per carry the following season.“I think Shula gave everybody a different kind of direction and purpose being coached by this guy,” Morris said in 2008.
“We were middle-class people and middle-class fans, and Shula was a blue-collar worker.And he had kind of a work ethic that really allowed you to see that if you work hard and you do what you’re supposed to do, then things are going to turn out for you — not all the time but you adjust to that and do what’s necessary to try to do as best you can.”Morris made no secret of being filled with pride about the 1972 Dolphins being the first — and still only — undefeated and untied team in NFL history, pulling off a perfect season.He also tried to make this clear: No, the Dolphins were not rooting against the t...