Syracuse to Retire Joe Morris' No. 47 Jersey

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – The jersey of Syracuse University rushing king Joe Morris will be retired by the Orange football program during the team's Sept. 22 game versus Connecticut at the Carrier Dome. The announcement to retire Morris' No. 47 was made by Syracuse Director of Athletics John Wildhack Friday night at an event hosted by Morris' former Syracuse teammate John Lally and his wife, Laura.

Morris' jersey will be the fifth one retired in the 128-year history of the program. Morris joins Larry Csonka (39), John Mackey (88), Donovan McNabb (5) and Don McPherson (9) as former Syracuse standouts in that elite group. The No. 44, worn by 25 players, including legendary running backs Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little, is also retired and hangs from the Dome rafters.

"Many doubted Joe Morris would play major college football," Wildhack said. "He arrived at Syracuse University in 1978 and left four years later as the school's all-time leading rusher. It's a record that still stands to this day. Given the amazing lineage of running backs here, Joe's accomplishments truly stand out. We are proud to honor him and display his jersey alongside those of other Syracuse football greats."

Morris holds or shares 15 school records, including the single-game (252 yards), single-season (1,372 yards) and career (4,299 yards) rushing marks. In addition, he is the program's all-time leader in rushing yards per game (113.1), 100-yard games (22) and all-purpose yardage (5,581).

A member of the Syracuse All-Century Team and four-year starter for the Orange from 1978-81, Morris' career was filled with notable performances. There was his school-record, 252-yard outburst at Kansas in 1979. The year before, he torched No. 18 Navy for 203 yards to lift Syracuse to a 20-17 victory in the last game at Archbold Stadium. But his all-round display versus Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 20, 1980 may have been the best of all.

In the first game at Syracuse's brand new Carrier Dome, Morris electrified the capacity crowd, scoring four of the Orange's five touchdowns in a 36-24 win against the Redhawks. He rushed for 170 yards and three scores on 32 carries. He also returned a second-quarter kickoff 94 yards for another touchdown.

"Syracuse's legacy at the running back position is second to none," current Orange head coach Dino Babers said. "Joe Morris is one of the main reasons why. He was the first Carrier Dome superstar. People filled the Loud House to watch him play and he helped lay the foundation for the future success of the program. I'm happy for Joe. He's very deserving of this honor."

A 5-foot-7 star at Ayer (Mass.) High School, Morris was lightly-recruited by major college programs because of his stature. He chose Syracuse over offers from New Hampshire and Boston College and arrived on campus in the summer of 1978. Any questions about Morris' height were quickly erased, as he became the only freshman in program history to record a 1,000-yard rushing season. He finished the campaign with 1,001 yards and was named ECAC Rookie of the Year.

Morris followed up his outstanding inaugural season with the finest one-year rushing performance in team history. He ran for a school-record 1,372 yards and seven touchdowns on 238 carries (5.7 avg.) in 1979 to earn honorable mention All-America honors from the Associated Press and Sporting News. He also led the Orange to their first bowl victory in 18 years, closing the season by rushing for 155 yards to propel the Orange to a 31-7 triumph over McNeese State in the Independence Bowl. The victory clinched a winning record for Syracuse and marked the first bowl championship for the program since the 1961 season.

In 1980, Morris was well on his way to his third consecutive 1,000-yard season until he was sidelined after three games with a shoulder injury. Morris returned to the field Oct. 25 against Rutgers, but broke his collarbone against Navy two weeks later and missed the final two games of the season. Despite playing in only six of the team's 11 games, Morris ran for 732 yards. He posted four 150-yard rushing games, averaged 122 yards per contest and was named ECAC co-Offensive Player of the Year.

Morris bounced back from his injuries in 1981, capping his career with yet another 1,000-yard rushing effort for first-year head coach Dick MacPherson. Having already eclipsed Csonka as Syracuse's all-time rushing leader, Morris added 1,194 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground to his career stat line. He was selected to the Football News All-America Third Team and earned Associated Press and Sporting News honorable mention All-America recognition for the second time.

Following his Orange career, Morris was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He played seven seasons (1982-88) for the Giants and set the franchise career rushing record with 5,296 yards (since broken). He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and helped the Giants to their first Super Bowl title following the 1986 season.

After leaving the Giants, Morris played one more year in the league, spending the 1991 season with the Cleveland Browns.

Overall, Morris played eight years in the NFL. He rushed for 5,585 yards and 50 touchdowns, while adding 111 receptions for 960 yards and two scores.

Morris, whose brothers Mike and Larry also played football at Syracuse, currently resides in New Jersey. Since his playing career ended, Morris has sold insurance and worked in real estate. He has also spent time as a motivational speaker and was part owner of the Arena Football League's New Jersey Red Dogs. Morris currently works as a uniform code and pro-line inspector for the NFL.

Fans are invited to help celebrate Morris and his achievements this fall. Season tickets for Syracuse's six home games, including the Sept. 22 matchup with Connecticut, start at $125. They are on sale now online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

Syracuse Football Retired Numbers & Jerseys
2005 – No. 44 (25 players)
2007 – Larry Csonka (39)
2007 – John Mackey (88)
2013 – Donovan McNabb (5)
2013 – Don McPherson (9)
2018 – Joe Morris (47)

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Syracuse University Athletics

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