Memorial Tuesday For Former Dolphins Great Earl Morrall
DAVIE (CBSMiami) — Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Earl Morrall will be remembered Tuesday afternoon at a memorial in Davie.
Morrall died on April 25 at the age of 79.
The celebration mass is only open to family and close friends, and will be at Saint David's Church.
Morrall was Bob Griese's backup with the Miami Dolphins when Griese suffered an injury in 1972. He helped the Perfect Season team to remain that way until Griese replaced him in the AFC Championship Game and went on to win the Super Bowl.
The Dolphins 17-0 record still stands alone today.
Morrall was named AFC Player of the Year, and won the inaugural NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
He played 21 seasons in the NFL from 1956-76.
The former Michigan State Spartans quarterback also replaced legendary Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas after an injury in 1968, leading the Colts to a 13-1 record.
Morrall played in 255 games, completing 1,379 passes for 20,809 yards and 161 touchdowns and posted a career 74.1 quarterback rating in a career that spanned 21 years.
After his football career, Morrall became the quarterback coach at the University of Miami in 1979. There he worked with Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar and Vinny Testaverde.
Morrall, who lived in Davie for years after leaving the Dolphins, was elected to the Davie city council in 1989 and eventually became mayor. The town also named a street – Morrall Pass—after him.
He was also inducted into the 2012 Dolphins' Walk of Fame at the Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza at Sun Life Stadium.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in his honor to the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Lois Pope LIFE Center, 1095 NW 14th Terrace, Miami, FL 33136 or through http://www.thebuonicontifund.com/bfdonate; or to the YMCA Disaster Relief Fund, 5450 YMCA Road, Naples, FL 34109 or through http://www.greaternaplesymca.org.
RELATED CONTENT:
