Chad Akio Morton, born on April 4, 1977, is a former American professional football player who has transitioned into a successful coaching career. He played as a running back and also returned kicks and punts. Currently, he serves as the running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL).
Morton's career spans from his college days at the University of Southern California (USC) to the NFL, where he played for several teams before becoming a coach. He has a mixed ethnicity, being both African American and Japanese, and is married to his wife, Tamra.
Early Life and College Career
Chad Morton grew up in Torrance, California, and attended South High School, where he was a star football player. He continued his football career at the University of Southern California in the late 1990s. Morton was a running back for the University of Southern California Trojans in the late-1990s.
A four-year performer at tailback and as a return specialist under College Football Hall of Fame coach John Robinson for USC, Chad Morton led the Trojans to a 26-22 record and an appearance in the 1998 Sun Bowl. The team leader in rushing yards in 1998 (985) and 1999 (1141), he ranks 11th in school history in career rushing yards. A two-year team captain, Morton was named the team MVP and was selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game after his senior season.
He was a consistent member of the Dean’s List and a four-time First Team Academic All-Pac-10 selection. The team leader in punt returns in 1996 (149) and 1997 (168), he ranks 15th in school history in career punt return yards (390). Morton also paced the Trojans in scoring (90) and kick return yards (341) in 1999.
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A notable moment in Morton's college football career was in 1999, when he guaranteed a USC victory prior to a game against the UCLA who carried an eight-game winning streak against the Trojans. Morton ran for 143 yards in a USC victory.
NFL Career
The New Orleans Saints selected Chad Morton as the 166th player in the 2000 NFL draft. Drafted 166th overall (the fifth round) of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, Morton became one of very few rookie running backs in Saints history to get significant playing time (16 games) and make an impact on offense and as a kick returner his first year in the pros.
He made an immediate impact on special teams, returning 30 punts for 278 yards and 44 kickoffs for 1,029 yards. He contributed a career-best receiving year 213 yards on 30 catches (7.1 yards per reception), plus 136 yards rushing, and 1,029 yards from 44 kick returns to the Saints' successful, 10-6 NFC West title-winning 2000 season. Morton also rushed for 136 yards on 36 carries and caught 30 passes for 213 yards. Morton's postseason contributions were especially crucial to the 2000 Saints.
In a divisional playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, he set an NFL record for receptions in a playoff game by a rookie and tied the NFL record for receptions in a playoff game by any player with 13 catches.
Morton was traded to the New York Jets following his rookie season and enjoyed his career-best year at kick returner in 2002, accumulating 1,509 yards and a league-leading two touchdowns. In seven NFL seasons, Morton returned 155 career punts for 1,431 yards and a touchdown along with 229 kick returns for 5,401 yards and three touchdowns.
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His last year playing football was 2006 with the New York Giants, as he suffered a career-ending ACL tear in Week 16 while covering a punt.
Key NFL Stats and Achievements
Top 15 Plays of Week 9 | 2025 NFL Season
- Most kickoff return touchdowns in one game: 2 (in 2002 against the Buffalo Bills).
- Most catches in a playoff game: 13 (in 2000).
Here's a summary of Chad Morton's NFL career statistics:
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Punt Returns | 155 |
| Punt Return Yards | 1,431 |
| Punt Return Touchdowns | 1 |
| Kick Returns | 229 |
| Kick Return Yards | 5,401 |
| Kick Return Touchdowns | 3 |
Coaching Career
After his retirement, he joined the Green Bay Packers in 2009 as the team’s coaching administrator and was promoted to assistant special teams coach in 2010. In 2009, Morton was hired by the Green Bay Packers as their coaching administrator. In 2014, Morton was hired by the Seattle Seahawks as their assistant special teams coach under head coach Pete Carroll.
Morton was a staff member of the Super Bowl XLV Champion Packers. In 2015, Morton was promoted to assistant running backs coach. By 2022, Morton was promoted again. He became the run game coordinator and running backs coach. On February 21, 2024, Morton joined the Chicago Bears and was hired as their running backs coach. Before joining the Jaguars, Morton was the running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks.
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