Don Morrison played 123 NFL games in nine seasons, including 94 games and 92 starts with the New Orleans Saints from 1971-77, and was a standout offensive lineman at Texas-Arlington who was inducted into the school's Hall of Honor in 2018.

But the most likely source to have provided that information probably would have been anyone but Morrison, because he wasn't interested in sharing it unsolicited.

"He never would talk about it, his football life," said his son, Chris Morrison. "He would talk about his professional life with us if we asked him, but he never brought it up. He never wanted to outshine whatever we were doing."

Don Morrison, New Orleans' fourth-round draft pick (No. 98 overall) in 1971, died peacefully on Monday. He was 75.

"He was my hero, he was my John Wayne," Chris Morrison said. "Same thing with my sister (Katie Walden). I played a little bit of football and some baseball, and they found out Dad played football and he was always like, 'No, this is their time. I had my time, this is their time.'"

Twice, Morrison was named an honorable mention All-American at UTA, where he also competed in javelin, shot put and discus.

And following his football career, which concluded with a season with the Baltimore Colts and one with the Lions, he served as a fireman for 20 years, then as a financial planner and constable.

But the football field was where he shone brightest, even though he was reluctant to boast about it.

"A funny thing he used to say (when approached about playing football)," Chris said. "They would all say, 'Hey, Mr. Don, you played football.' People would come up that knew him, or whatever.

"He'd say, 'Nah, I never held a football in my life,' because he was an offensive lineman. He wasn't lying, but he was funny. He was low key like that, he had that 'Dad' sense of humor. He was always on, he never let up."

And he never let on that he was as good as he was while playing it.

"He always told me, let your play speak for itself," Chris said. "He said you never qualify yourself for anybody. He said that's very unbecoming, he said that's not something you do, it's not something I'll ever do."

Over time, the low-key approach was appreciated.

"It didn't occur to me until years later, but it meant the world to us," Chris said. "I mean, we didn't do a 10th of the things he did. It never occurred to me as a kid because you're fighting for every inch of what you're trying to accomplish, but it means the world.

"I think (former NFL coach) Bum Phillips – it might have been when (Morrison) played – was quoted as he was the best player to never be all-conference, all-NFL because he never stayed around to talk the media. He never said much, the first thing he wanted to do was go out with his family and hang out."

And primarily, that's where Morrison's concentration was centered.

"That was his main focus," Chris said. "When he was playing, it was on the field but when he was done he drew the line, he said you have to have a family life – that was his focus. He was secure in himself that much that he never, ever talked about himself in that light."

"He was a good guy, a good country boy from Texas," said former teammate Jake Kupp, the Saints' left tackle from 1967-75. "He was a good ballplayer, and a good friend. We played a lot of practical jokes on each other, just a lot of fun.

"I remember he was big and athletic, kept himself in good shape. He was our starting left tackle, started at a pretty young age. Hard worker and a good teammate. He worked hard in the weight room, I remember he bench pressed around 600 pounds."