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Jon Morris

For the ice hockey player, see Jon Morris (ice hockey). For other people, see John Morris (disambiguation) and Jonathan Morris (disambiguation).

Jon Morris
No. 56, 63
Position:Center
Personal information
Born: (1942-04-05) April 5, 1942 (age 83)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:254 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.)
College:Holy Cross (1961–1963)
NFL draft:1964: 2nd round, 27th pick
AFL draft:1964: 4th round, 29th pick
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Games played:182
Games started:167
Fumble recoveries:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Jon Nicholson Morris (born April 5, 1942) is an American former professional football player who was a center for 15 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Holy Cross Crusaders before playing professionally for the Boston / New England Patriots, the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears.

Early life

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Morris was born on April 5, 1942, in Washington, D.C.[1] He later resided in Chevy Chase, Maryland.[2] He attended the Gonzaga College High School, a Jesuit school, in Washington, D.C.[3]

Morris was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He was an All-Metropolitan football player, and played both offense (center) and defense (linebacker). As a junior in 1958, he was selected to the School Sports Association (SSA) first-team All-Prep football team at center. In 1959 as a senior, the 6 ft 3 in (1.9 m) 200 pound (90.7 kg) Morris received the first-team SSA honor again at center. He was runner up for football player of the year honors in 1959.[2][4][5][6][7][8]

Morris led Gonzaga's football team to the city championship in 1959. He was also named to the All-Catholic league basketball team that year; and was an All-League first baseman in baseball as a senior, with a batting average among the top five in the league.[8]

Morris was the News Scholastic Sports Association Outstanding Athlete of the Year in 1960, for his accomplishments in football, baseball and basketball during the 1959-60 school year.[2][6]

College career

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Morris attended College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, graduating in 1964. He started at center and linebacker for three seasons of college football with the Holy Cross Crusaders, and was team captain as a senior.[9] As a senior, he was 6 ft 3 in (1.9 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg).[10]

He was named both the Holy Cross Varsity Club Athlete of the Year and Holy Cross Lineman of the Year in the 1963 season.[11] Morris was selected by the Associated Press (AP) at center to its second-team All-East team in 1962,[12] and was selected first-team AP All-East center in his senior year (1963).[13] Morris was a two-time first-team All-New England selection.[9]

Morris was a co-captain of the North team in the Senior Bowl, playing center,[14] and played in the College All-Star Game against the Chicago Bears in August 1964.[9][11][15] He was named a second-team Catholic College All-American at center his senior year.[16] He was named a second-team center on the Central Press Captains' All-American team, behind the first team's Dick Butkus.[17]

Professional career

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Boston/New England Patriots

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Morris was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the second round, with the 27th overall pick, of the 1964 NFL draft.[18] However, Morris chose to play with the Boston Patriots, who selected him in the fourth round, with the 29th overall pick, of the 1964 AFL draft.[19] He chose the Patriots after speaking with their coach, Mike Holovak.[2] He signed with the Patriots in December 1963.[10] Intending to eventually enter a law school in Boston also influenced his decision to choose the Patriots over Vince Lombardi's Packers.[15][20] Morris went on to play 11 years for the Patriots (1964-74), often considered the only quality offensive lineman on the team, and served as a team caption.[1][21]

He was an AFL All-Star six times, 1964 through 1969, and was a Pro Bowl center in 1970.[1][22] He was the first Patriot to be selected for the Pro Bowl after the AFL/NFL merger.[23] He was selected by the Associated Press (AP) to its All-AFL second team in 1964-65 and 1969, and to its first team in 1966.[1] United Press International (UPI) named him its second-team All-AFL center in 1965.[24] He played in 130 regular season games for the Patriots, starting 125,[1] the eighth best individual record in club history.[citation needed]

Morris was a full-time starter at center beginning in his 1964 rookie season.[25][26] He received two votes for AFL Rookie-of-the Year.[27] The Patriots were 10–3–1 that season, the best record the Patriots had during Morris's tenure with the team.[20][28] Toward the end of Morris's rookie season in Boston, Holovak said he had expected Morris to be a good player, but his play exceeded Holovak's hopes.[29] Morris was selected to the AFL All-star game in his rookie season, and started for the Eastern division at center.[30][31] He was second-team All-AFL that year. The Oakland Raiders' future Pro Football Hall of Fame center Jim Otto[32] was the first-team All-AFL center that year.[33]

Otto was selected to the All-AFL first team at center every year of the AFL's independent existence (1960-69), and was the Hall of Fame's all-time AFL first-team center.[34] In 1964, Morris missed by a single vote being named first-team All-AFL center by the AFL itself.[31] However, in 1966, the Associated Press chose Morris as its first-team All-AFL center, over Otto, in a close vote. This was considered the biggest upset in voting for that team.[35][36] Morris was named the second-team All-Time AFL center for that league's decade of existence in the 1960s.[37]

Morris played in 127 or 128 games for the Patriots until suffering a knee injury early in the 1973 season, on the second play of the team's second game of the season, against the Kansas City Chiefs on September 23, 1973. He only played in two games that season, and then only three games as a backup center the following year (1974).[21][38][1]

Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears

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In July 1975, Morris was traded to the Detroit Lions for a 6th round draft choice.[39][40] During the preseason with the Lions in August 1975, he played his first full game in nearly two years.[41] Morris played three years (1975–1977) with the Lions, starting all 14 games every season.[1] He was elected by Lions teammates as their Offensive Player of the Year in 1975.[citation needed] In 1977, he was the Lions' team leader in minutes played and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player.[42] The Chicago Bears signed Morris as a free agent in August 1978, and he played his fifteenth and final professional season as a backup center with the Chicago Bears in 1978.[42][43] Morris announced his retirement in January 1979.[44]

Career

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Morris recovered several fumbles during his career. The first was a fumble by running back Ron Burton in the Boston Patriots 24–7 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at Fenway Park on October 23, 1964.[citation needed] In 1966, he recovered a fumble by running back Larry Garron in the Patriots 27–27 tie with the Kansas City Chiefs at Municipal Stadium on November 20.[citation needed] He also recovered a fumble by fullback Jim Nance in a 16–0 loss to the Houston Oilers at Fenway on October 13, 1968.[citation needed]

Morris wore No. 56 for the Patriots, as did Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett.[45][46]

Broadcasting

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After retiring from the NFL in 1978, Morris became a radio broadcast color commentator for the Patriots, working alongside play-by-play radio broadcaster Gil Santos.[11] Morris worked as the color commentator on Patriots radio broadcasts from 1979 to 1987, followed by color analysis of NFL games for NBC television.[22][47] In 1987, his radio broadcast partner was the legendary Curt Gowdy, winner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Award and the namesake of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Curt Gowdy Media Award.[48][49][50]

Honors

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Morris was named to the AFL All-Time second-team,[37] and to the fan-selected Boston Patriots All-1960s Team.[citation needed]

In 2011, Jon Morris was selected by a senior selection committee as a member of the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.[51] In 2014, he was named to the Patriots All-Time Team, during its 55th anniversary year.[52] In 1979, he was named first-team center on the Patriots All-Time Team in celebration of the team's 20th anniversary.[11]

The 1776 Club (the Patriots' fan club), named Morris the team's 1964 Rookie-of-the Year, and gave Morris its Unsung Hero Award in 1965 and 1972.[11]

Morris was inducted into the Holy Cross Hall of Fame in 1973,[11] and was an inaugural inductee of the Gonzaga College High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983.[53] He was joined in 1991 by his brother, Will,[53] who was a quarterback at Gonzaga and for the Maryland Terrapins as well serving as Gonzaga head football coach from 1975 to 1978.[citation needed]

Personal life

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His father was John D. Morris, a longtime reporter and editor in the Washington bureau of the New York Times.[54][15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Jon Morris Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Pat Sign Jon Morris". The Washington Daily News. December 23, 1963. p. 37.
  3. ^ "Grid Foes Join Forces". Southern Nebraska Register (Lincoln, Nebraska). October 23, 1959. p. 5.
  4. ^ "St. John's Places Four on All-Prep First-Team, All-Prep Elevens". The Washington Daily News. November 29, 1958. p. 17.
  5. ^ "Eagles Sluggish in 2d Win". The Washington Daily News. December 12, 1959. p. 14.
  6. ^ a b Elsen, Bill (September 3, 1960). "Bill-Board". The Washington Daily News. p. 14.
  7. ^ Ostroff, Pete (November 28, 1959). "Three Annandale Players Pace All-Metro Selections, SSA All-Metropolitan". The Washington Daily News. p. 33.
  8. ^ a b Elsen, Bill (August 5, 1961). "The Bill-Board, Morris Hits The Big Time". The Washington Daily News. p. 15.
  9. ^ a b c "Jon N. Morris (1973) - Hall of Fame". Holy Cross Athletics. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Jon Morris". Honolulu Star-Advertiser (United Press International). December 25, 1963. p. 19.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Ex-Pat star Morris to be here Feb. 10". The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts). November 21, 1979. p. 30.
  12. ^ "Four Penn State Players On All-East". Lancaster New Era (Lancaster, Pennsylvania). November 30, 1962. p. 24.
  13. ^ "Gerry Philbin Picked On All-East Grid Team". Buffalo Courier Express (Associated Press). November 29, 1963. p. 22.
  14. ^ Siegel, Arthur (January 6, 1964). "Morris' Play Ray of Hope". The Boston Globe. p. 19.
  15. ^ a b c Damer, Roy (July 2, 1964). "All-Star Center Lets His Playing Speak for Itself". Chicago Tribune. p. 69.
  16. ^ "Catholic College All American". The Tablet. December 12, 1963. p. 22.
  17. ^ Jones, Walter L. "Staubach, Navy's Jolly Roger, Quarterbacks All-American". The Record American (Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania). p. 6.
  18. ^ "1964 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  19. ^ "1964 AFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Joe (August 19, 1975). "Say goodbye Jon Morris". The Recorder (Greenfield, Massachusetts). p. 12.
  21. ^ a b Favinger, Larry (August 1, 1975). "Sport City". The Portsmouth Herald (Portsmouth, New Hampshire). p. 16.
  22. ^ a b "Jon Morris | The Patriots Hall of Fame". www.patriotshalloffame.com. June 8, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  23. ^ "1970 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  24. ^ "1965 AFL All-Stars". Anaheim Bulletin (United Press International). December 28, 1965. p. 18.
  25. ^ "1964 Boston Patriots Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  26. ^ Gandy, Jerry (September 12, 1964). "Patriots Call On Raiders". The Independent (Richmond, California). p. 6.
  27. ^ "Rookie Of Year". Beaver Dam Daily Citizen (Beaver Dam, Wisconsin). December 22, 1964. p. 8.
  28. ^ "New England Patriots Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  29. ^ "Holovak Calls Jon Morris His Offensive Center MVRY". Sun-Journal (Lewiston, Maine). November 20, 1964. p. 20.
  30. ^ "AFL Eastern Grid Stars To Include Five Rookies". Tri-City Herald (Pasco, Washington). January 1, 1965. p. 21.
  31. ^ a b "Jon Morris Gets Boston Contract". The Daily Advance (Lynchburg, Virginia). July 2, 1965. p. 19.
  32. ^ "Jim Otto | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  33. ^ "Chargers, Patriots, Buffalo Lead 1964 AFL All-Star Selections". Enterprise Record (Chico, California). December 22, 1964. p. 9.
  34. ^ "All-Time AFL Team - OFFENSE | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  35. ^ "Jon Morris Voted AFL's Best". Austin American-Statesman (Associated Press). December 20, 1966. p. 24.
  36. ^ "Nance Unanimous Pick For AFL All-Star Team". The Tribune (Scranton, Pennsylvania). December 20, 1966. p. 14.
  37. ^ a b "AFL Hall of Fame All-Decade Teams - 1960s". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  38. ^ Fox, Jim (September 24, 1973). "Plunkett Feels the Pain of Close One". The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts). p. 22.
  39. ^ "Patriots trade center Jon Morris to Detroit". The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin). July 31, 1975. p. 34.
  40. ^ "Important Patriots trade, 1972-79". The Boston Globe. August 19, 1975. p. 54.
  41. ^ "Lions Begin Play In New Stadium". The Scranton Tribune (United Press International). August 23, 1975. p. 11.
  42. ^ a b "Bears sign Morris; Lions' MVP last season". Lansing State Journal (Associated Press). August 3, 1978. p. 37.
  43. ^ "1978 Chicago Bears Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  44. ^ "Morris retires". The Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan). January 17, 1979. p. 27.
  45. ^ "PFW ranks the greatest jersey numbers in Patriots history". www.patriots.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  46. ^ "Andre Tippett | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  47. ^ "Most NFL telecast changes will be at CBS". The Albuquerque Tribune. September 3, 1988. p. 15.
  48. ^ Herman, Howard (September 11, 1987). "Gowdy and football – together again". The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts). p. 33.
  49. ^ "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: The Curt Gowdy Media Award(s)". www.hoophall.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  50. ^ "Brent Musburger to receive 2025 Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  51. ^ Guregian, Karen (March 27, 2011). "Jon Morris gets his due, call". The Boston Herald. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
  52. ^ Harrison, Elliot. "All-Time Team - New England Patriots". NFL.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  53. ^ a b "Athletic Hall of Fame". www.gonzaga.org. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  54. ^ "JOHN D. MORRIS, EDITOR, 60, DEAD". New York Times. April 9, 1975. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
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