If you walk into a sports bar in Denver today, you’ll hear the names Elway and Manning tossed around like gospel. It makes sense. They brought the rings. But if you’re talking to an old-timer—someone who remember when the Mile High City was more "cow town" than metropolis—they’ll tell you about 1977. They’ll tell you about a guy with bad knees and a scarred-up shoulder who basically willed a perennial loser into the biggest game on earth.
Craig Morton Denver Broncos history is, honestly, the most underrated chapter in Colorado sports.
Before Morton arrived, the Broncos were... well, they were bad. For the first 13 years of their existence, they didn't even have a winning record. They were the team other franchises scheduled for "get right" games. Then came a trade with the New York Giants in 1977 that looked, at the time, like a desperation move. Morton was 34. People called him washed-up. The Giants had gone 8-25 with him. But Denver took a flyer on him for a fifth-round pick, and everything changed overnight.
The Miracle of 1977 and the Birth of Bronco Mania
The 1977 season wasn't just a good year; it was a cultural shift. Red Miller, the first-year head coach, didn't want a "project" at quarterback. He wanted a guy who could manage a game while the Orange Crush defense beat people into the turf. Morton was perfect. He wasn't mobile—basically moved like a statue—but he had this incredibly high football IQ.
You’ve got to understand the atmosphere. Fans were painting their cars orange. People were literally painting their houses. It was "Bronco Mania," and Morton was the steady hand at the center of the storm. He threw for 1,929 yards that year, which sounds like a light month for modern QBs, but in '77, it was enough to earn him NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
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He led the team to a 12-2 record. Just think about that. A team that had never seen the playoffs suddenly held the #1 seed in the AFC. They knocked off the powerhouse Pittsburgh Steelers and then handled the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship. Morton threw two touchdowns to Haven Moses in that game, securing Denver's first-ever trip to the Super Bowl.
What Most People Get Wrong About Super Bowl XII
This is where the story gets a bit painful. Super Bowl XII pitted the Broncos against the Dallas Cowboys. It was the ultimate "storyline" game: Craig Morton vs. Roger Staubach. Morton had been the starter in Dallas before Staubach took over, and there was no love lost there.
Honestly, the game was a disaster for Denver.
- Morton went 4-of-15 for 39 yards.
- He threw four interceptions.
- The "Doomsday Defense" in Dallas absolutely swallowed him whole.
People look at those stats and think Morton choked. That's the misconception. What many forget is that Morton spent the week leading up to the game in a hospital bed with a severe viral infection and a leg injury. He could barely walk, let alone dodge Randy White and Harvey Martin. He was sacked constantly. Eventually, he was pulled for Norris Weese, but the damage was done.
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The Broncos lost 27-10. It was a heartbreaking end to a "Cinderella" story, but it proved one thing: Denver belonged on the big stage.
The Statistical Legacy Nobody Talks About
While the Super Bowl loss is the loudest part of the narrative, Morton’s actual stay in Denver was statistically incredible for the era. He played until 1982, and check this out: in 1981, at age 38, he had his best statistical season.
He threw for 3,195 yards and 21 touchdowns. He led the league with 8.5 yards per attempt—a Broncos record that stood for decades. He was a pure downfield passer. If he saw a window, he took it. He wasn't checking down to the flat every play.
Craig Morton Denver Broncos stats by the numbers:
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- 50-28 record as a starter in Denver.
- 11,895 passing yards (still top-tier in franchise history).
- 74 touchdown passes.
- First QB to start a Super Bowl for two different franchises.
He was the bridge. Without Morton proving the Broncos could win, do they have the swagger to go after John Elway a few years later? Probably not. Morton stabilized a franchise that was used to losing and taught them how to expect victory.
Why Morton Still Matters to Denver Fans
Morton was tough. That’s the bottom line. He played 11 games once with a separated shoulder. He played through knee surgeries that would end modern careers in a week. He once said that back then, if you didn't play through the pain, you'd lose your job. No monitoring. No protocols. Just grit.
He’s in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame for a reason. He wasn't just a "placeholder" for Elway. He was the guy who broke the curse. He showed a generation of fans in the Rocky Mountains that they didn't have to be the NFL’s doormat anymore.
If you want to truly appreciate Broncos history, you have to look past the Super Bowl rings. You have to look at the guy who wore number 7 before the other guy wore number 7. Morton wore it with a kind of weathered, veteran grace that defined an era of Smashmouth football.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to dive deeper into this era of football, here's how to actually appreciate what Morton did:
- Watch the 1977 AFC Championship Highlights: Specifically look at Morton’s ball placement to Haven Moses. In an era where defensive backs could basically mug receivers, his accuracy was surgical.
- Study the "Orange Crush" Context: Realize that Morton’s job wasn't to put up 40 points; it was to protect the ball and let the defense work. His low interception rate in '77 (only 8) was the key to their 12-2 run.
- Visit the Ring of Fame: If you’re ever at Empower Field at Mile High, find his name. He was inducted in 1988, alongside Haven Moses and Jim Turner. It’s a reminder that the foundation of the team's success was built in the late 70s.
- Compare the Eras: Look at Morton's 1981 season vs. modern QBs. Adjusting for the "illegal contact" rules that didn't exist then, his 8.5 yards per attempt is roughly equivalent to a modern QB averaging 10+ yards. It was high-risk, high-reward football at its finest.
The story of the Denver Broncos doesn't start with Elway's helicopter dive in Super Bowl XXXII. It starts with an "old" quarterback from the Giants who arrived in 1977 and told a city it was okay to start dreaming.