Athletes - Dan Morgan

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	Athletes - Dan Morgan

*For the Australian bushranger, see Dan Morgan (bushranger)

Daniel Thomas Morgan, Jr. (born December 19, 1978 in Fort Myers, Florida) is an American football linebacker who plays for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.

High school career

Originally from Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, Dan Morgan attended Taravella High School in Coral Springs, Florida. As a senior, he was an All-County pick at tailback, linebacker, and strong safety. As a junior tailback, he rushed for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns.

College career

Morgan started out as a fullback at the University of Miami, but was switched to weakside linebacker one week before the season started. He became the first freshman linebacker to start for the Hurricanes since Ray Lewis in 1993. As a freshman, he made second-team freshman All-American by the Sporting News after posting 105 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. As a sophomore, he became the first sophomore team captain in team history, and made the All-Big East team, after leading the team with 150 tackles. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award and the Nagurski Trophy as a junior, and was rewarded with a second-team All-Big East for collecting 139 tackles and 5 sacks. He finally captured both awards, as well as the Bednarik Award, becoming the first player in NCAA history to win all three awards in a career (and the same year). He made the All-America team, and was the Big East Defensive player of the year. Upon graduating, he held the school and conference records for career tackles (532).

Pro career

Morgan was selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He started 11 games at weakside and strongside linebacker, posting 75 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery. His second season, he helped turn the Panthers from the worst defense in the 2001 NFL season to the second-ranked defense, becoming the first team to make such an improvement in one season. Morgan was also an integral part of the Panthers defense that led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII, where he posted a career- and team-high 25 tackles in the game. For the 2004 NFL season, he collected 109 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and five sacks en route to being named the starting linebacker for the NFC in the 2005 Pro Bowl. In the 2005 NFL season, he is second on the team in tackles, behind Marlon McCree.

Morgan was signed to a contract extension in August 2005 that will keep him in a Panther uniform through 2010.

Career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

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