I’ve always been overlooked or taken for granted, in a sense. He averaged nearly five yards a carry last year in Dallas but still had to wait for a flurry of August injuries to trigger what he considered a legitimate offer. Yet he had only one free-agent visit in 2016 and signed a modest contract with the Dallas Cowboys. He surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons in Washington and didn’t miss a game due to injury. Though he rushed for 3,529 yards in college, the most in his school’s history, he wasn’t drafted until the sixth round. That school, Florida Atlantic, initially moved him to fullback. He was an all-state linebacker from the same town as Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks but received one scholarship offer. But no one ever seems excited when they initially kick the tires. He’s been reliable and overachieved wherever he’s been. The car, only three years younger than Morris, also serves as a metaphor for the runner himself. He keeps it because it reminds him of his humble roots. But because he joined the 49ers in Houston two weeks ago and flew back with them after the preseason game there, the car remains in Texas for the time being. “I’ll just keep the memory in my mind and said they could take it out,” he told The Washington Post of the now-buffed-out dent. They also punched out the dent in the rear panel.įor the sentimental Morris, it was like removing a beloved blemish, and he wasn’t sure what to make of the makeover when they whisked the shroud off of his baby in 2013. He still was showing up to work in the beat-up sedan after he gained 1,613 yards in Washington in 2012 - the third-highest total ever by a rookie runner - a situation that drew barbs from Range Rover-driving teammates and caught the attention of Mazda dealers in the Washington, D.C., area.ĭuring the offseason, they gave Morris a loaner and refurbished his car from bumper to tailpipe, giving it new brakes, an overhauled exhaust system and adding modern features like an all-leather interior and a rear camera. Morris named it “Bentley” and cherished it as if it were one. In college, he went to and from his job at Sears on foot, on a bike or by hitchhiking, at least until his pastor decided to sell him his silver 1991 Mazda 626 for $2. There was no Dodge Charger waiting in the driveway when he graduated high school. He is the fourth of seven boys born to Ronald, a chef, and Yvonne, a school teacher, in Pensacola, Florida. Morris is friendly but soft-spoken and he’s decidedly lacking in flash, right down to the car he drives. The scouting report on NFL.com described him as “far from fast or athletic enough” and as “a serviceable runner” who needed to make an impression early or risk getting cut before his rookie season even began. Even after he became Florida Atlantic’s all-time leading rusher, some NFL teams eyed him as a fullback. He ran his pre-draft 40 in a tight end-like 4.67 seconds. It’s what led him to sign the speedy McKinnon to a $30 million contract and to draft Joe Williams - who ran his 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds - in the fourth round in 2017. Shanahan prefers tailbacks who can make one cut, fire through an opening and then finish the play in the end zone. But he’s not the prototypical Shanahan runner. Morris is the most prolific runner Shanahan has coached, having gained nearly 3,000 yards in 20 when Shanahan was Morris’ offensive coordinator in Washington. “And he said there was an opportunity here, so I came.” “I was waiting for opportunities,” he said. When Shanahan - this time dealing with an injury to McKinnon and his top backup - called back earlier this month, Morris planted his foot and lowered his shoulder.
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