Earl Morrall: Football’s Mr. 911

April 29, 2014   ·   Tom Danyluk   ·   Jump to comments

If you gather up of all of the memorable runs by a backup quarterback, you’ll find it’s a giant teaspoon of a list: Hostetler’s Super Bowl charge with the ’90 Giants, Blanda in ’70 beating ‘em with a tired arm and an ancient leg. There was even Frank Reich, who won a pair of playoffs for the ’92 Bills, albeit during spot duty.
But I’m talking about extended action for a backup passer that significantly lifted his team’s fortunes for a season or two.
That’s what we’ll remember most about Earl Morrall, pro football’s Mr. 911—a special slice of NFL history, who passed away last week at the age of 79.
Morrall was a top-round pick of the 49ers in 1955 as the club was seeking an eventual successor to Y.A. Tittle, who was allegedly winding down in San Francisco.
“Y.A. was coming off a 4-8 year,” Morrall said. “When I got there the fans would cheer me and boo him. I didn&rsq...

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