Dan Morgan
Encyclopedia
Daniel Thomas "Dan" Morgan, Jr. (born December 19, 1978 in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania
) is a former American football
linebacker
for the Carolina Panthers
and the New Orleans Saints
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Panthers 11th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Miami
.
Morgan earned a Pro Bowl
selection with the Panthers in 2004
.
Rams of the Bert Bell Football League near Philadelphia. After playing freshman football at Upper Darby High School
(Pa.), Morgan attended J. P. Taravella High School
in Coral Springs, Florida
. As a senior, he was an "All-County" pick at tailback
, linebacker, and strong safety
. As a junior tailback, he rushed for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdown
s.
as a fullback at the University of Miami
, but was switched to weakside linebacker one week before the season started. He became the first freshman linebacker to start for the Hurricanes since Ray Lewis in 1993. As a freshman, he was named second-team freshman All-American by the Sporting News after posting 105 tackles
, three sacks
, and one forced fumble
.
As a sophomore, he became the first sophomore team captain in team history, and made the All-Big East Team, after leading the team with 150 tackles. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award
and the Nagurski Trophy
as a junior, and was rewarded with a second-team All-Big East for collecting 139 tackles and 5 sacks. He finally captured both awards, as well as the Bednarik Award, becoming the first player in NCAA
history to win all three awards in a career (and the same year).
Morgan left Miami as an All-American and was the 2000 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Upon graduating, Morgan held the Miami
school and Big East conference records for most career tackles with 532.
Dan was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame at the 43rd Annual Induction Banquet held on March 24, 2011 at Miami's Jungle Island.
.
In the 2001 season, he started 11 games at weakside and strongside linebacker, posting 75 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.
His second season, Morgan helped turn the Panthers from the worst defense in the 2001 NFL season
to the second-ranked defense, becoming the first team to make such an improvement in one season. Morgan was also an integral part of the Panthers defense that led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII
, where he posted a total of 18 tackles (11 solo, 7 assists). For the 2004 NFL season
, he collected 109 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and five sacks en route to being named the starting linebacker for the NFC
in the 2004 Pro Bowl
. In the 2005 NFL season
, he was second on the team in tackles, behind Marlon McCree
.
On November 6, 2007, Morgan was placed on injured reserve
by the Panthers due to an ankle
injury. The Panthers eventually released him on February 11, 2008.
suffered during the 2007 season
.
After sitting out the 2008 season, Morgan confirmed on January 26, 2009 that he had filed reinstatement papers with the NFL and expected to rejoin the New Orleans Saints
; Morgan stated that he was completely healthy and ready to play. He was reinstated on February 12. Morgan worked out with the Saints through the off-season, but he strained his calf muscle during a minicamp practice on June 5, 2009. On June 8, Morgan's agent, Drew Rosenhaus
, announced that Morgan had informed the Saints that he would retire for the second time due to his continued injuries.
Playoffs
Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania
Clifton Heights is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, six miles west of downtown Philadelphia and on Darby Creek. The population was at 2,330 in 1900, and 3,155 in 1910...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Panthers 11th overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
.
Morgan earned a Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection with the Panthers in 2004
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
.
Early years
Dan grew up playing football for the Clifton HeightsClifton Heights, Pennsylvania
Clifton Heights is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, six miles west of downtown Philadelphia and on Darby Creek. The population was at 2,330 in 1900, and 3,155 in 1910...
Rams of the Bert Bell Football League near Philadelphia. After playing freshman football at Upper Darby High School
Upper Darby High School
Upper Darby High School is a four-year public high school located in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, United States, as part of the Upper Darby School District. UDHS is also the oldest high school in Delaware County, PA, having been established in 1895...
(Pa.), Morgan attended J. P. Taravella High School
J. P. Taravella High School
J. P. Taravella High School is a secondary school located in Coral Springs, Florida which teaches grades 9-12. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district....
in Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, officially chartered July 10, 1963, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States, approximately northwest of Fort Lauderdale. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 121,096...
. As a senior, he was an "All-County" pick at tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
, linebacker, and strong safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. As a junior tailback, he rushed for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s.
College career
Morgan started playing college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a fullback at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, but was switched to weakside linebacker one week before the season started. He became the first freshman linebacker to start for the Hurricanes since Ray Lewis in 1993. As a freshman, he was named second-team freshman All-American by the Sporting News after posting 105 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
, three sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
, and one forced fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
.
As a sophomore, he became the first sophomore team captain in team history, and made the All-Big East Team, after leading the team with 150 tackles. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award
Dick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
and the Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
as a junior, and was rewarded with a second-team All-Big East for collecting 139 tackles and 5 sacks. He finally captured both awards, as well as the Bednarik Award, becoming the first player in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
history to win all three awards in a career (and the same year).
Morgan left Miami as an All-American and was the 2000 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Upon graduating, Morgan held the Miami
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
school and Big East conference records for most career tackles with 532.
Awards and honors
- Second-team Sporting News Freshman All-American (1997)
- First-team All-Big East Conference|Big East (2000)
- Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2000)
- Consensus First-team All-American (2000)
- Dick Butkus AwardDick Butkus AwardThe Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
(2000) - Bronko Nagurski TrophyBronko Nagurski TrophyThe Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
(2000) - Chuck Bednarik AwardChuck Bednarik AwardThe Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
(2000)
Dan was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame at the 43rd Annual Induction Banquet held on March 24, 2011 at Miami's Jungle Island.
Carolina Panthers
Dan Morgan was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round, with the 11th overall selection, in the 2001 NFL Draft2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
.
In the 2001 season, he started 11 games at weakside and strongside linebacker, posting 75 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery.
His second season, Morgan helped turn the Panthers from the worst defense in the 2001 NFL season
2001 NFL season
The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
to the second-ranked defense, becoming the first team to make such an improvement in one season. Morgan was also an integral part of the Panthers defense that led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
, where he posted a total of 18 tackles (11 solo, 7 assists). For the 2004 NFL season
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
, he collected 109 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and five sacks en route to being named the starting linebacker for the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
in the 2004 Pro Bowl
2004 Pro Bowl
The 2004 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 8, 2004 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was NFC 55, AFC 52, the most points scored in a Pro Bowl game. Marc Bulger of the St. Louis Rams was the game's MVP.-Game summary:...
. In the 2005 NFL season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, he was second on the team in tackles, behind Marlon McCree
Marlon McCree
Marlon Tarron McCree is an American football safety who is currently a free agent, as well as a mentor and coach. He was drafted by the Jaguars in the Seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
.
On November 6, 2007, Morgan was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
by the Panthers due to an ankle
Ankle
The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...
injury. The Panthers eventually released him on February 11, 2008.
New Orleans Saints
Morgan was signed by the New Orleans Saints for the 2008 season. However on May 19, 2008, Morgan announced his retirement from the NFL, citing the slow recovery of injuries, particularly a partially torn Achilles tendonAchilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
suffered during the 2007 season
2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
.
After sitting out the 2008 season, Morgan confirmed on January 26, 2009 that he had filed reinstatement papers with the NFL and expected to rejoin the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
; Morgan stated that he was completely healthy and ready to play. He was reinstated on February 12. Morgan worked out with the Saints through the off-season, but he strained his calf muscle during a minicamp practice on June 5, 2009. On June 8, Morgan's agent, Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus
Drew Rosenhaus is an American sports agent who represents professional football players. He owns the Miami-based sports agency, Rosenhaus Sports, and is known for using aggressive tactics on behalf of his clients who play in the National Football League.Rosenhaus currently represents approximately...
, announced that Morgan had informed the Saints that he would retire for the second time due to his continued injuries.
Career statistics
Regular season| Defense | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | Tack | Sack | FF | INT | TD | |
| 2001 2001 NFL season The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day... |
Carolina Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
NFL National Football League The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing... |
11 | 67 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2002 2002 NFL season The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League.The league went back to an even number of teams, expanding to 32 teams with the addition of the Houston Texans. The clubs were then realigned into eight divisions, four teams in each... |
Carolina | NFL | 8 | 53 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2003 2003 NFL season -Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *... |
Carolina | NFL | 11 | 66 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 2004 NFL season The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005... |
Carolina | NFL | 12 | 101 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005 2005 NFL season The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006... |
Carolina | NFL | 13 | 75 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 2006 NFL season The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006... |
Carolina | NFL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007 2007 NFL season The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30.... |
Carolina | NFL | 3 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Regular season totals | 59 | 386 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 0 | |||
Playoffs
| Defense | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | Tack | Sack | FR | INT | TD | |
| 2003-04 NFL playoffs, 2003-04 The NFL playoffs following the 2003 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXXVIII.Beginning with the 2003–04 season, the NFL changed the selection procedures regarding officials for playoffs games. The league suspended the prior practice of assembling "all-star" officiating crews of highly-rated... |
Carolina | NFL | 4 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2005-06 NFL playoffs, 2005-06 The National Football League playoffs for the 2005 season began on January 7, 2006 and led up to Super Bowl XL on February 5, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.... |
Carolina | NFL | 3 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Playoff totals | 7 | 71 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||