THE worst time for Craig Morton in New York occurred when Giant fans finally cheered him. He was laying injured on the ground.
“They were unmerciful sometimes,” recalled the 55-year-old Morton, whose Giants won 10 and lost 32 during his boo-plagued quarterback tenure from 1974-77.
“I actually don’t blame them. We were not a good team.”
Today, Morton runs “Hoop Heaven,” a Scottsdale, Ariz., company that builds health facilities that specialize in basketball.
Morton took some time this past week to speak about tonight’s Super Bowl XXXIII, which he is attending.
It features the Falcons, coached by his old friend Danny (as he calls him) Reeves, and one of his old teams, the Denver Broncos.
Morton understands the present Super Bowl storylines perhaps better than anyone – because they are in his past.
“I can identify with what [Falcon QB] Chris Chandler has gone through, from being washed up to being a Super Bowl starting quarterback and having played against my ex-coach in a Super Bowl after I left the team,” Morton said.
Morton started and lost both Super Bowl V for the Cowboys (versus the Colts) and Super Bowl XII for the Broncos (against his former team, Tom Landry’s Cowboys).
But a prediction on this evening’s game is not forthcoming.
Morton, a born-again Christian, handicapped games last season for a fee – but no longer does.
“It is stupid to bet on football games,” said Morton, who said he stopped so he didn’t misrepresent his feelings.
In 1978, the media constantly asked Morton about his relationship with his old, strict coach, the guy with the hat in Dallas.
This is basically the same premise as the Reeves/John Elway situation – except tonight it’s the coach who is on the opposite team.
“Every Super Bowl has to have a storyline that kind of carries the whole impetus of the Super Bowl,” said Morton, who had Danny Reeves in his wedding party. “This one was ready made for turmoil.”
The 1977-78 AFC Player of the Year, Morton completed eight passes versus the Cowboys in the 27-10 Supe XII loss. Four to each team. He finished 4-of-14 with four interceptions and no ring.
“[Dallas’ Randy White] and Harvey [Martin] went berserk on me,” Morton said. “They just killed me.”
The Cowboys drafted White, a Hall of Famer, with the first pick in the 1975 draft – a pick they acquired from the Giants for Morton.
In Morton’s first Super Bowl start, in 1971, many blamed him for the 16-13 loss to Baltimore. He threw a late interception to Mike Curtis, which set up Jim O’Brien’s game-winning field goal.
According to Morton, the ball went through the hands of his good buddy Danny Reeves, a running back for the Cowboys.
“I used to take all the blame,” Morton said. “I told him when he became head coach of the Broncos that he can start shouldering some of the burden, I carried it long enough. He just laughed.”
As head coach, Reeves replaced Morton with a young QB named Steve DeBerg in the third game of Morton’s final season. DeBerg, now 45, is the Falcons’ backup tonight.
Morton spoke to Reeves the week after the NFC title game. He couldn’t guarantee he would root for his friend of 34 years.
“It is a tough situation, you want to see your friends do well, but you want to see your ex-team do well,” said Morton, who would not disclose who he wants to win.
Morton lives with his wife, Susie, and his daughter, 16-year-old McKenna. His son, 19-year-old Michael, is at the University of Arizona.
“We always struggle,” said Morton, who made $264,000 his final season. “We never made the big money. I do all I can to help my family. I’m certainly not a wealthy guy by any means. We make it. We get along. Life is good.”
Despite all the acrimony in New York, he said he fondly remembers his Giant days.
“I know it made me grow as a person,” Morton said.
