The Electrifying Career of Mercury Morris
Eugene “Mercury” Morris carved his name into NFL history as a dynamic running back for the Miami Dolphins during their legendary 1970s dynasty. Standing at just 5’10” and weighing 185 pounds, Morris compensated for his smaller stature with exceptional speed and elusiveness.
Drafted in the third round in 1969 out of West Texas State, Morris initially served as a kick returner and backup running back. As rookie he led the AFL in Kick Returns with 1143 return yards including a 105-yard score against the Bengals. He was named to the 1971 NFL Pro Bowl team as a kick returner after averaging over 28 yards a return.
Morris achieved his greatest fame as part of the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ “Perfect Season” backfield alongside Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. This undefeated team (17-0) remains the only perfect season in NFL history. During this campaign, Morris led the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns while rushing for 1,000 yards exactly on 190 carries, averaging an impressive 5.3 yards per attempt.
His success continued in 1973 while helping Miami secure back-to-back Super Bowl championships, he rushed for 954 yards, averaging a league-high 6.3 Yards-per-Carry. Mercury Morris’s signature running style—explosive bursts through the line followed by lightning-quick cutbacks—made him particularly dangerous in Miami’s ball-control offense.
By 1976, injuries had slowed Morris’s career. After a single season with San Diego he retirement before the 1977 season. In his 8-year career, he finished with 4,133 career rushing yards, 31 touchdowns, and a respected 4.8 yards per carry average.
Image Gallery of Mercury Morris, Running Back 1969-1976
Mercury Morris Football Cards
Mercury Morris All Time Career Statistics
| Rushing | Receiving | Totals | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | # | Games | Starts | Carries | Yards | Y/A | Long | TD | Catches | Yards | Y/R | Long | TD | Touches | Y/Tch | YScm | TDs |
| 1969 | 22 | MIA | 22 | 14 | 0 | 23 | 110 | 4.8 | 37 | 1 | 6 | 65 | 10.8 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 6.0 | 175 | 1 |
| 1970 | 23 | MIA | 22 | 12 | 1 | 60 | 409 | 6.8 | 40 | 0 | 12 | 149 | 12.4 | 50 | 0 | 72 | 7.8 | 558 | 0 |
| 1971 | 24 | MIA | 22 | 14 | 3 | 57 | 315 | 5.5 | 51 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 3.2 | 11 | 0 | 62 | 5.3 | 331 | 1 |
| 1972 | 25 | MIA♚ | 22 | 14 | 11 | 190 | 1000 | 5.3 | 33 | 12♦ | 15 | 168 | 11.2 | 34 | 0 | 205 | 5.7 | 1168 | 12 |
| 1973 | 26 | MIA♚ | 22 | 13 | 10 | 149 | 954 | 6.4♦ | 70 | 10 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 36 | 0 | 153 | 6.6♦ | 1005 | 10 |
| 1974 | 27 | MIA | 22 | 5 | 3 | 56 | 214 | 3.8 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 23 | 1 | 58 | 4.2 | 241 | 2 |
| 1975 | 28 | MIA | 22 | 14 | 14 | 219 | 875 | 4.0 | 49 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 10 | 0 | 221 | 4.0 | 890 | 4 |
| 1976 | 29 | SDG | 22 | 13 | 0 | 50 | 256 | 5.1 | 30 | 2 | 8 | 52 | 6.5 | 20 | 0 | 58 | 5.3 | 308 | 2 |
| 7 seasons Dolphins | 86 | 42 | 754 | 3877 | 5.1 | 70 | 29 | 46 | 491 | 10.7 | 50 | 1 | 800 | 5.5 | 4368 | 30 | |||
| 1 season Chargers | 13 | 0 | 50 | 256 | 5.1 | 30 | 2 | 8 | 52 | 6.5 | 20 | 0 | 58 | 5.3 | 308 | 2 | |||
| 8 Year NFL Career | 99 | 42 | 804 | 4133 | 5.1 | 70 | 31 | 54 | 543 | 10.1 | 50 | 1 | 858 | 5.4 | 4676 | 32 | |||
| Rushing | Receiving | Totals | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Games | Carries | Yards | Y/A | Long | TD | Catches | Yards | Y/R | Long | TD | Touches | Y/Tch | YScm | TDs |
| 1970 | 23 | MIA | 1 | 8 | 29 | 3.6 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 4.4 | 44 | 0 |
| 1971 | 24 | MIA | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1972 | 25 | MIA♚ | 3 | 41 | 182 | 4.4 | 27 | 0 | 1 | -6 | -6.0 | -6 | 0 | 42 | 4.2 | 176 | 0 |
| 1973 | 26 | MIA♚ | 3 | 45 | 226 | 5.0 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5.0 | 226 | 1 | ||
| Post Season Totals | 10 | 95 | 440 | 4.6 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 3.0 | 9 | 0 | 98 | 4.6 | 449 | 1 | ||
| Punt Returns | Kick Returns | All-Purpose Yards | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | # | Games | Returns | Yards | Y/Ret | Long | TDs | Returns | Yards | Y/Ret | Long | TDs | |
| 1969 | 22 | MIA | 22 | 14 | 25 | 172 | 6.9 | 38 | 0 | 43♦ | 1136♦ | 26.4 | 105 | 1 | 1483 |
| 1970 | 23 | MIA | 22 | 12 | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 812 | 29.0 | 96 | 1 | 1369 |
| 1971 | 24 | MIA | 22 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 423 | 28.2 | 94 | 1 | 754 | |
| 1972 | 25 | MIA♚ | 22 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 334 | 23.9 | 33 | 0 | 1502 | |
| 1973 | 26 | MIA♚ | 22 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 242 | 22.0 | 29 | 0 | 1247 | |
| 7 seasons Dolphins | 86 | 27 | 171 | 6.3 | 38 | 0 | 111 | 2947 | 26.5 | 105 | 3 | 7486 | |||
| 1 season Chargers | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 308 | |||||
| 8 Year NFL Career | 99 | 27 | 171 | 6.3 | 38 | 0 | 111 | 2947 | 26.5 | 105 | 3 | 7794 | |||
| Kick Return | All-Purpose Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Games | Returns | Yards | Y/Ret | Long | TDs | |
| 1970 | 23 | MIA | 1 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 | 65 |
| 1971 | 24 | MIA | 3 | 7♦ | 173♦ | 24.7 | 37 | 0 | 176 |
| 1972 | 25 | MIA♚ | 3 | 3 | 56 | 18.7 | 23 | 0 | 232 |
| 1973 | 26 | MIA♚ | 3 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 19 | 0 | 245 |
| Post Season Totals | 10 | 13 | 269 | 20.7 | 37 | 0 | 718 | ||
- + – All-Pro Selection
- * – Pro Bowl Selection
- ♦ – Led the League
- ♚ – NFL Champion
