Hall of Fame
Position: Linebacker
Years: 1997-2000
Place of Birth: Clifton Heights, PA
Date of Birth: Dec. 19, 1978
Jersey Number: 44
Height: 6-3
Weight: 230
High School: J.P. Taravella HS (Coral Springs, FL)
The first player in history to sweep the three major defensive awards in one season, Dan Morgan is Miami's all-time leading tackler. Part of the Hurricanes' reemergence in the late 90s, he becomes the eighth player in school history to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2000, Morgan took home the Bednarik, Butkus and Nagurski Awards after leading the Hurricanes to the Big East title, an 11-1 record and a No. 2 final ranking. The 2000 Big East Defensive Player of the Year led Miami in tackles three times, and he holds the school record with 532 career tackles (also a Big East record). A four-time All-Big East selection, Morgan garnered first team honors in 1997, 1999 and 2000 while claiming second team laurels in 1998. The 2000 Football News National Defensive Player of the Year was a four-year starter and a three-time captain, becoming the first sophomore in school history to receive the honor.
The standout linebacker led Miami to three top 20 finishes and three consecutive postseason wins in the 1998 Micron PC Bowl, 2000 Gator Bowl and 2001 Sugar Bowl. Morgan's 45 consecutive starts were a school record at the time, and he was the first player in Hurricane annals to post 100 or more tackles every season of his career. Despite making the switch to linebacker just days prior to the 1997 season opener, he became a Second Team Freshman All-American and was a finalist for the Butkus and Nagurski Awards as a junior. The 2011 University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame inductee played alongside College Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed during his time in Coral Gables.
The 11th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2001 NFL Draft, Morgan played for the franchise from 2001-07. The All-Rookie Team and 2004 Pro Bowl selection led the Panthers to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII following the 2003 season.
While with the Panthers, Morgan volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Coral Springs, Florida, native has contributed time during his post-NFL career working with FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) and Ben's Fund, which raises money for families with autistic children. After time as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills, Morgan now serves as assistant general manager for the Carolina Panthers.
