Patriots Legend Jon Morris Dies at Age 84, Earned Franchise's 1st Pro Bowl Selection

New England Patriots legend Jon Morris has died at the age of 84, the team announced Thursday.

Morris played center for the Patriots from 1964 to 1974 and went on to play for the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. He was the first Pro Bowl selection in Patriots history, earning the nod in 1970.

"Jon Morris was one of the great players who helped build the foundation of our franchise," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "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 starred at Holy Cross from 1961 to 1963 before being drafted in the second round of the NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers and the fourth round in the AFL draft by the then-Boston Patriots in 1964. He chose to join the Patriots rather than the Packers.

During his time with the Patriots, he played alongside legendary Patriots like Gino Cappelletti, Babe Parilli and Jim Nance. He was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2011.

Morris closed out his career with stints in Detroit and Chicago before returning to the Patriots as a radio color commentator from 1979 to 1987. He later worked as an analyst for NBC.