Jon Morris, former Patriots player and first Pro Bowler, passes away at 84

Jon Morris, a former player for the New England Patriots, has died, as announced by the team on Thursday. Morris played for the Patriots for 11 seasons from 1964 to 1974 and was recognized as one of the franchise's early stars and a highly regarded center of his time. The announcement did not specify a cause of death. Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft stated, "Jon Morris was one of the great players who helped build the foundation of our franchise. For generations of Patriots fans, he represented the toughness, dedication and pride of those early teams. It meant so much to me to call Jon in 2011 and tell him he had been selected to our Hall of Fame, ensuring that his contributions would always be remembered. On behalf of our family and the entire Patriots organization, we extend our deepest condolences to Jon’s family, friends and former teammates." Morris began his career with the team when they were known as the Boston Patriots in the American Football League (AFL) and participated in six AFL All-Star Games. He was also the first NFL Pro Bowler for the franchise in 1970. The team expressed its sympathies to all who knew him. Morris was drafted by the Patriots in the 1964 AFL Draft and also selected by the Green Bay Packers in the NFL draft that same year, but chose to begin his professional career in New England. After his time with the Patriots, he played for the Detroit Lions from 1975 to 1977 and the Chicago Bears in 1978 before retiring at age 36. Following his retirement, Morris returned to New England to serve as a radio color commentator from 1979 to 1987 and later provided analysis for NBC. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2011, which he referred to as the "crowning achievement of my football life."