Earl Morrall, a quarterback whose highlights during his 21-year carrer (1956-76) included helping the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins into the playoffs after filling in for the injured Bob Griese, passed away on Friday at age 79, accoring to the Naples (Florida) News Daily.
Mr. Morrall was selected in the 1956 National Football League draft out of Michigan State by the San Francisco 49ers, who traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers the following year, only to be traded during the 1958 season to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne.
After a reasonably successful stint with the Lions, Earl wound up with several bad New York Giants teams.
He signed with the Baltimore Colts in 1968, and when Johnny Unitas was injured, Earl stepped in and helped lead the Colts to their first NFL title in nine years, only to see him and his team knocked off by the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.
In Super Bowl V, after Johnny U was injured, Earl stepped in once again and the Colts defeated the Dallas Cowboys in an error-filled contest.
In 1972, Earl rejoined Don Shula, his coach from the Colts' days, this time with the Miami Dolphins. When Bob Griese was injured during a regular-season contest with the San Diego Chargers, Earl stepped in and remained quarterback for the rest of the Dolphins' undefeated regular season. But Bob returned to his starting position for the AFC Championship Game (then Super Bowl VII as well, when Miami Dolphins held off the Washington Redskins to complete what remains the NFL's only perfect campaign). Neverless, Earl was named American Football Conference Player of the Year and NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
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