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10 Reasons Browns backup Jacoby Brissett can win it all

By Elliot Kennel

May 25, 2022; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during organized team activities at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2022; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during organized team activities at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 24, 1972: Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Dolphins quarterback Earl Morrall (15) in action against the Cleveland Browns during the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at the Orange Bowl. The Dolphins defeated the Browns 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 1972: Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Dolphins quarterback Earl Morrall (15) in action against the Cleveland Browns during the 1972 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at the Orange Bowl. The Dolphins defeated the Browns 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Earl Morrall, Colts and Dolphins

Earl Morrall was a career backup who got traded to Baltimore for a fourth-round draft pick in 1968 because Johnny Unitas had a sore elbow and couldn’t throw. He became Player of the Year that season, leading the Colts to a 13-1 record (losing only to the Browns that season), and many analysts were saying they had the best defense in NFL history.

They whipped up on the Vikings and shut out your Browns in the NFL Championship and headed off to Super Bowl III as 18-point favorites, only to be upset by Broadway Joe Namath and the New York Jets, 16-7.

Weird stat of the day: many people believe that being the losing quarterback to Joe Namath’s Jets in Super Bowl III was the last game of Morrall’s career, but the dude acquired three Super Bowl rings after that. Go figure. You can win a few bets in your favorite sports bar with that little factoid.

"“All Earl ever did was win games for me, whether it was as a starter or coming off the bench.” –Coach Don Shula."

After that Super Bowl loss, Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas won his job back, and Morrall didn’t complain about it, but just helped Unitas as much as he could. Hello Baker Mayfield, are you reading about this? This is how you handle a quarterback controversy. The Colts had a bit of a down year, and owner Carroll Rosenbloom began to sour on coach Don Shula.

After the leagues merged in 1970, the Colts, Browns, and Steelers switched over to the American Football Conference to balance out the Conferences. Don Shula left the Colts organization and joined the Miami Dolphins, but the Colts seemed to get rejuvenated under their new coach and won the AFC title.

Thus, the Colts represented the AFC in Super Bowl V versus the Dallas Cowboys. Unitas got hurt in that game, and Morrall came in and led the Colts to a come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13 on a field goal with five seconds left. That was Super Bowl ring number one.

Second weird stat of the day — who the hell gets released with a record of 22-3-1? Earl Morrall did. With his former coach and protector Don Shula over in Miami, the Colts figured Morrall was too old. He was actually a year younger than Unitas, but Morrall was gone and Unitas stayed one more season.

Morrall then won nine games for the 17-0 Dolphins in 1972. The Browns should have won the playoff game in Miami because the Cleveland defense was outstanding and shut Morrall down, but Mike Phipps threw five (count them) interceptions, and the Dolphins eked out a 20-14 victory to preserve the perfect season.

Bob Griese, now healthy again, earned the Super Bowl start over Morrall, but Morrall got a ring also, of course. That’s number two. The Dolphins won again the following season. In Super Bowl VI, Morrall was the holder on the extra point team, so he was not a huge contributor in that game.

Morrall played three more seasons after that. In Baltimore and Miami, Morrall was 33-4-1 as a starter during the regular season and 4-1 as a starter in the playoffs (that does not include Super Bowl V in which he relieved Unitas and was the winner). Who else has a record like this?

It’s true that he was a career backup because he was never regarded as the permanent starter, but how can you go 33-4-1 with 3 rings and be remembered as a loser? Well, that’s football.

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