20 Facts About Mercury Morris

Eugene Edward "Mercury" Morris was an American professional football player who was a running back and kick returner.

Mercury Morris played for eight years, primarily for the Miami Dolphins, in the American Football League as a rookie in 1969 then in the American Football Conference following the 1970 merger with the National Football League.

In 1982, Mercury Morris was convicted of felony drug trafficking charges.

Mercury Morris attended West Texas State University from 1965 to 1969, where he was an All-American for the Buffaloes at tailback in 1967 and 1968.

Mercury Morris excelled as both a running back and kick returner.

That season, Mercury Morris was selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time as a kick returner, although he was used as a running back in the game.

Mercury Morris was first thought to have finished with 991 yards but the Dolphins' management asked the league to examine a play in which Mercury Morris fumbled a lateral so he was awarded the nine yards previously recorded as lost on the play, giving him 1,000 yards for the season.

That year, Mercury Morris led the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns and his 5.3 yard per carry average was third in the NFL.

Mercury Morris excelled in several playoff games leading up to Miami's two Super Bowl victories.

Mercury Morris continued playing for the Dolphins in 1974 and 1975, before spending the last season of his shortened career playing for the San Diego Chargers in 1976.

In 1974 a knee injury Mercury Morris suffered in the preseason limited him to five regular season games that year.

Mercury Morris missed the season opener and returned for the second game of the season, but then reinjured the knee in game 3.

In 1975, Mercury Morris led the Dolphins in rushing yards, with 875, despite sharing the halfback position with Benny Malone.

Mercury Morris finished in the top five of the NFL in rushing touchdowns twice and total touchdowns once during his eight-year career.

In 1974, Mercury Morris co-starred as Bookie Garrett in the blaxploitation film The Black Six alongside other football stars of the day.

Mercury Morris was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, with a mandatory 15-year term.

Mercury Morris was able to reach a plea bargain with the prosecutor, resulting in his release from prison on May 23,1986, after having served three years.

Mercury Morris later appeared in an anti-cocaine public service announcement where he talked about his time in prison.

Mercury Morris died on September 21,2024, at the age of 77.

Mercury Morris was survived by five children and three sisters.