Jon Morris dies at 84: the center who carried the Patriots from the AFL into the NFL

Jon Morris, the center whose Patriots career bridged the AFL and the merged NFL, has died at 84. New England announced his death on Thursday, October 15. The team's statement did not disclose a cause.

Morris played 11 seasons for the franchise, from 1964 through 1974. His career belongs to the club's formative years, long before its championship dynasty. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2011, the first player chosen by its senior selection committee.

Seven selections, two leagues

His seven consecutive league All-Star selections explain the standing he earned among his contemporaries. Six came in the AFL, from 1964 through 1969. The seventh came in 1970, when he became the Patriots' first NFL Pro Bowl selection. Calling all seven Pro Bowls would erase the distinction between the two leagues.

Morris came out of Holy Cross with a choice. The Boston Patriots selected him in the fourth round of the 1964 AFL draft; Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers took him in the NFL's second round. He chose Boston and eventually appeared in 130 games for the Patriots.

The club's Hall of Fame credits Morris' line with opening running lanes for Jim Nance, who scored 45 rushing touchdowns from 1965 through 1971. It is one concrete measure of a center's work: the runner finished the plays, but the blocking made room for them.

A second career behind the microphone

After New England, Morris played for Detroit from 1975 through 1977 and Chicago in 1978. His professional playing career covered 15 seasons.

He then returned to Patriots radio as a color commentator from 1979 through 1987 and later analyzed NFL games for NBC. Fans who had watched him play could hear him explain the game. His connection to the franchise continued well beyond his last snap.

The Patriots said the family will hold private services. The club's announcement and Hall of Fame biography are linked below for readers who want to learn more about his life and career.