Stanley Morgan

Stanley Douglas Morgan (born February 17, 1955) is an American former football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts.[1]

For the English author and actor, see Stanley Morgan (author). For the English minister, trade unionist and politician, see Stanley Morgan (politician). For the investment banking and global financial services corporation, see Morgan Stanley. For the wide receiver, see Stanley Morgan Jr.

Stanley Morgan
No. 86
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1955-02-17) February 17, 1955
Easley, South Carolina
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:181 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school:Easley (SC)
College:Tennessee
NFL Draft:1977 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions:557
Receiving yards:10,716
Yards per reception:19.2
Touchdowns:72
Player stats at NFL.com

Early career

Morgan played high school football at Easley High School in Easley, South Carolina. In 1972, his team won a state championship.

Morgan went on to play college football for the University of Tennessee, where he was an outstanding multi-position player, appearing in all 46 Volunteers games in his four-year career. As a freshman in 1973, he was used primarily as a wide receiver with 22 receptions for 522 yards and 4 touchdowns. In his breakthrough sophomore season, he had 128 rushes for 723 yards and 11 touchdowns, 10 catches for 234 and 2 touchdowns, and 29 punt returns including 1 touchdown, for an SEC-leading 84 points.[2] He made the All-SEC team in 1974 as a wide receiver (UPI) and a running back (AP2).[3] His 1,587 all-purpose yards that year remained a school record until 1987.[4] His junior year, Morgan was used as a running back (133 carries for 809 yards and 8 touchdowns) and also a kick returner. In a game against Maryland he scored 3 touchdowns, including a 50-yard run and 70 yard punt return. He also became the first Volunteer to rush for 200 yards in a game with 201 against Hawaii.[5] His senior year, he balanced his time more, finishing second on the team in both rushing (90 carries for 388 yards and 9 touchdowns to Bobby Emmons' 462) and receiving (14 catches for 317 yards and 2 touchdowns to Larry Seivers 737). He had 201 yards receiving against TCU, the second most at the time. His 11 touchdowns that season placed Morgan second in the SEC to LSU's Terry Robiskie, and earned him 1976 All-SEC honors as a running back (AP) and receiver (UPI).

Tennessee Volunteers career statistics[6]
RushingReceivingKickoff ReturnsPunt Returns[2]Total
YearGAttYdsAvgTDRecYdsAvgTDRetYdsTDRetYdsTDPlaysYdsAvgTD
19731123216.002251123.241430900003885222.44
1974121287235.6111023423.42-2550293751-1587-14
1975121338096.182136.50-630202842-1169-10
197611903884.391431722.626136025193013510347.711
Career4635319525.52848107522.4837763074852351246429.139

He holds the all-purpose yards record for the University of Tennessee, which stands at 4,642, and led Tennessee in that category all four seasons. He shares the modern record for career touchdowns with 39,[2][7] his 28 rushing touchdowns is third all-time,[8] and his 1,615 combined return yards is 5th. Morgan was inducted into the University of Tennessee Hall of Fame in 2000.[2]

Professional career

Morgan was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft (25th overall). Despite being used primarily as a running back after his freshman year, Morgan's exceptional speed helped him transition back to wide receiver. He averaged over 20 yards per reception his first six seasons, with a career-high and franchise-record 24.1 yards per reception in 1978. He led the NFL in yards per reception in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and ended his career with the three best seasons in that category for a Patriots receiver (and six of the top 12).[9] He also led the league in receiving touchdowns in 1979 with a franchise-record 12.[10] In a 1978 game against the Baltimore Colts, Morgan had five receptions for a franchise-record 170 yards; he broke his own record in 1981 against the Miami Dolphins with five receptions for 182 yards, a mark that stood for 17 years.

Stanley topped 1,000 receiving yards a franchise-record three times (1979, 1981 & 1986). His best season as a Patriot was 1986 when he caught 84 passes for a then-franchise-record 1,491 yards[11] and 10 touchdowns, leading the Patriots to the AFC East Title. Morgan appeared in four Pro Bowls (1979, 1980, 1986 & 1987) and was selected 2nd Team All-Pro in 1980 & 1986. Morgan was a member of the 1985 AFC Champion New England Patriots, and caught six passes for 51 yards in Super Bowl XX. After 13 seasons with New England, he was traded to Indianapolis where he played just one season. At the time, he held the franchise record in every receiving category with 534 catches[12] for 10,352 yards (still the franchise record) and 67 touchdowns.[13] He also has the franchise record with 38 games with 100+ receiving yards, 10,479 yards from scrimmage, and is second to Kevin Faulk with 11,471 all-purpose yards. He finished his career with 557 receptions for 10,716 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and 72 touchdowns (solidly in the all-time NFL top 100 in all four categories), along with 127 rushing yards and 989 combined return yards.

NFL career statistics[14]
ReceivingRushingPunt ReturnsKickoff Returns
YearTeamGRecYdsAvgTDAttYdsAvgTDRetYdsTDRetYdsAll-Purpose Yards
1977New England Patriots142144321.131100162200673
1978New England Patriots163482024.15211032335011701183
1979New England Patriots1644100222.812739029289111201342
1980New England Patriots164599122.0643601027
1981New England Patriots1344102923.4622101511601166
1982New England Patriots92858420.93230587
1983New England Patriots165886314.921130876
1984New England Patriots133870918.75709
1985New England Patriots153976019.55100760
1986New England Patriots1684149117.8101491
1987New England Patriots104067216.83672
1988New England Patriots163150216.241-60496
1989New England Patriots102848617.43486
1990Indianapolis Colts162336415.85364
Career1965571071619.272211270929601229011832

Morgan was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame on August 27, 2007.

Coaching career

Morgan was wide receivers coach for the XFL's Memphis Maniax.[15][16]

References
  1. "Stanley Morgan". nfl.com. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  2. "Tennessee Volunteers Football Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  3. "All-SEC squad". The Tuscaloosa News. December 3, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved June 5, 2015 – via Google news archive. NOTE: There is disagreement between the Vols Media Guide and this reference as to the position for which Morgan earned this honor.
  4. Currently 8th all-time.
  5. It has been done 17 times since, see Media Guide.
  6. "Stanley Morgan College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  7. The record is shared with James Stewart (1991-94). The all-time record is 44 by Gene McEver (1928-31).
  8. Again, to James Stewart and Gene McEver.
  9. See list at .
  10. Since eclipsed twice by Randy Moss, in 2007 and 2009.
  11. since eclipsed by Randy Moss in 2007.
  12. Now third to Wes Welker and Troy Brown
  13. Now second to Rob Gronkowski.
  14. "Stanley Morgan Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  15. "MEMPHIS SPORTS SCENE". memphisflyer.com. November 9, 2001. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  16. "Football Operations". all-xfl.com. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
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