Coach Sean Payton says LB Dan Morgan is "100 percent" healthy and did "very well" in the Saints' minicamps.

Morgan, 30, has just 24 tackles since 2005, but could give Scott Shanle a run at weak-side linebacker. The Saints are looking for more playmaking at that position. Morgan would still be an awful bet to make it through 16 games.

"He's experienced and he's a guy who has been very productive and very successful in our league. The key with him is that he's in real good shape. He works extremely hard and he has trained well so I think the layoff in his case in regards to the physical aspect probably isn't as significant. The key is the mental work that he's doing along with the rest of these guys as they're picking up the system. As we move into training camp and put pads on, him staying healthy will be the big thing,” said Payton.

This was the first time we've ever seen linebacker Dan Morgan on the practice field and he looked pretty good to me, running around fluidly and showing some aggressiveness. He jarred a pass loose from tight end Dan Campbell at one point and batted down another while rushing to the line of scrimmage...

(rotoworld.com)

Three days of organized team activities hardly constitute a comeback for Saints' weakside linebacker Dan Morgan.
But it's a start.

"It's exciting getting back out there and mixing it up with the guys and playing football again," Morgan said Thursday. "I feel good. Every day I just feel better and better and more comfortable being out there.

"The Saints have been great through the whole process. I definitely appreciate that they want me back and are giving me this second chance. Hopefully I can help them out and we can go on and win a Super Bowl."

Morgan, 30, is trying to make a comeback in New Orleans after giving up his body and soul for seven seasons with the Carolina Panthers. This is his second attempt at a comeback with the Saints, who signed him as a free agent in March 2008, upon his release from Carolina. Two months later Morgan announced his retirement, citing health and family reasons.

In February, Morgan had a change of heart and rejoined the Saints after being reinstated by league officials.

Now the question is which Dan Morgan are the Saints getting? The 11th pick of the 2001 NFL draft who made 25 tackles for the Panthers against New England in Super Bowl XXXVIII, or the injury-riddled former Pro Bowl middle linebacker whose career has been marred by numerous concussions, a broken leg, pulled hamstring, a chronic bum shoulder and partially torn Achilles tendon?

Today will be Morgan's fourth practice at his new position of weakside linebacker under Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

"I played weakside linebacker my first three years at Miami and outside linebacker my first year at Carolina, so it's not like I haven't played the position, " said Morgan, 6 feet 2, 245 pounds. "I have the speed and the athletic ability to play on the outside, but it's definitely a different feeling out there than in the middle. It's actually kind of fun. I was real excited to get back out there."

Morgan last played in a game Sept. 23, 2007, when he suffered a season-ending injury to his Achilles tendon. A year earlier, he missed the final 15 games because of a concussion, his fifth reported concussion going back to his college days.

"Being out of football for a couple of years, it was a nervous and exciting feeling that first day of OTAs, " Morgan said. "I didn't feel like a rookie, more like a second-year guy getting back out there with the guys and getting my feet wet again.

"I feel real confident in where I'm at right now. It's the third day now, and I feel completely normal."

Though the depth chart is not etched in stone, it appears Morgan is working with the second unit.

"You welcome a guy like that back, and you respect the passion of him wanting to continue to play, " Saints strongside linebacker Scott Fujita said.

"He's an intense competitor, " said Saints guard Jamar Nesbit, who played in Carolina with Morgan during the 2001 and '02 seasons. "He's a great athlete, a hard worker and a smart person who's going to be in the right position almost 9.9 times out of 10. He cares about what he does and he cares about winning, so he'll definitely be an asset on defense."

Nesbit recalled the first day he shared a practice field with Morgan in Carolina.

"He was flying around full speed making tackles in shorts, " Nesbit said. "We all were kind of like, 'Oh my goodness, ' and he hasn't slowed down since.

"The only thing that we ever worried about was him staying healthy, just because he was kind of an undersized guy playing the middle. As long as he plays outside, I think he'll be great. He played his heart out trying to play middle linebacker, but it's just not his body type."

Saints Coach Sean Payton expressed the same appreciation and concern for Morgan.

"He's a guy who has been very productive and very successful in our league, " Payton said. "He's in real good shape, he works extremely hard and he has trained well. As we move into training camp and put pads on, staying healthy will be the big thing for him."

Morgan remains cautiously optimistic.

"I'm more excited than I am concerned," he said. "I've worked extremely hard and my body feels the best it has in a long time.

"So far, so good. I'm just taking it one day at a time."

(blog.nola.com)

The Saints have been pleased with what they’ve seen from LB Dan Morgan in offseason workouts, we hear, and he could push WLB Scott Shanle for a starting spot if he can stay healthy. Morgan, who decided to come back in 2009 after a one-year stint in retirement, has battled injuries for much of his career, including suffering through multiple concussions and a partially torn Achilles tendon that nagged at him throughout the ’07 campaign. Shanle’s play has been steady, but a healthy Morgan would fit the playmaker mold the Saints badly need on defense.

(profootballweekly.com)

Perhaps Morgan will turn out to be a surprise upgrade. In his prime, he was one of the league's best young playmakers. He was a tackling machine as a middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. But a series of concussions and various injuries forced him into early "retirement" last year. That time away did him good, apparently, and he's been "100 percent" healthy "doing very well" in the Saints' offseason program, according to Coach Sean Payton. ... Believe it or not, he's still only 30 years old, so he may indeed have something left to offer.

(blog.nola.com)

Saints GM Mickey Loomis says LB Dan Morgan will be kept on the roster after he was reinstated from the retired list Thursday.

Morgan will have to pass a physical in late March to be cleared for OTAs. The club shouldn't count on a contribution from the injury prone 30-year-old.

(rotoworld.com)

Linebacker Dan Morgan, who retired last season because of injuries, was reinstated Thursday by the NFL three weeks after expressing interest about making a comeback.

Morgan, 30, signed a one-year deal with New Orleans last season and is on the Saints' roster.

Morgan had a partially torn Achilles' tendon in 2007. He had also had concussion problems throughout his career.

After sitting out last season, Morgan felt healthy enough in January to file reinstatement papers. Morgan was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2001 and was the 11th player taken in that draft. He earned rookie of the year honors with the Panthers and earned one trip to the Pro Bowl.

The Saints signed him last season to compete for a job at outside linebacker.

(espn.com)

TAMPA, Fla. -- Linebacker Dan Morgan, who retired last year after a series of injuries, said Monday he is planning to make a comeback in 2009.

Morgan told ESPN.com Monday he has filed his reinstatement papers with the NFL and plans to rejoin the New Orleans Saints, who still hold his rights. Morgan has said he has talked to the Saints and they seem interested in him playing.

Morgan, 31, retired last May before ever playing a game for the Saints, who had signed him as a free agent. Morgan spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers, but his time and effectiveness there were disrupted by a string of injuries. Morgan's bad luck started in his rookie season (2001) when he broke his leg.

Repeated problems with concussions and other injuries followed. Morgan had at least five reported concussions since his college days at Miami and that factored into his decision to retire. Morgan had been cleared for a return to football for 2008, but the Panthers released him and he signed with New Orleans. After spending much of the offseason program with the Saints, Morgan said he retired because of health issues and family concerns.

But Morgan said Monday he's completely healthy and is eager to make a return to the Saints. He also said his other injury problems played more of a role in his initial decision to retire than the concussions.

"I feel better than I have at any point since before my rookie season in the NFL," Morgan said by telephone from Charlotte, N.C. "I've been working out very hard and I feel great. Last year, I was down in New Orleans and I was coming off shoulder problems and my wife was pregnant with our third child and back in Charlotte. It just didn't feel like the right place or the right time and I made the decision to retire. But the year off has refreshed me and I'm very anxious to get back out there."

Although studies have suggested concussions can lead to long-term health problems, Morgan he has consulted with numerous doctors and doesn't see any problem with playing again.

"Yes, I know I've had some concussions," Morgan said. "But I think the public has kind of blown that out of proportion. They don't know my exact situation. My concussions weren't severe. I never had the bad headaches or the memory loss that they talk about in those studies. I've seen all those studies and talked about them at length with my doctors and I feel good about the situation.

"Believe me, I have three young children and if I were at all concerned about this, I wouldn't be going back on the field," he said.

Morgan is about to open two restaurants in Charlotte -- a coal-fire pizza restaurant and a diner are scheduled to open in February. Morgan has spent much of his time working to get those businesses ready. But he has also spent much of his time off working out.

Morgan said he began to get seriously involved in distance running shortly after his retirement. He even registered to run in a marathon but backed out of that and slowed down on his training once he started thinking about a return to football.

Morgan said he didn't want to lose too much weight and he's focused now on strength and flexibility training.

Saints officials couldn't be reached for comment immediately Monday, but Morgan could be a boost for a defense that struggled most of last season. The Saints initially signed Morgan, who had played his entire career at middle linebacker, to play outside linebacker. The Saints brought in middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma as their middle linebacker and he was one of the few bright spots on the defense that struggled last year.

"I've been talking with the Saints and it sounds like I'll be back with them," Morgan said. "We'll see what happens. If for some reason they don't want me, I will play elsewhere. I'm not in a position where I can dictate things right now. But I can tell you that whoever I play for will be getting one heck of a football player."

Morgan played in only three games for the Panthers in 2007 before he was sidelined by an ankle injury. He played in only one game in 2006 before taking the rest of that season off after experiencing a concussion in the preseason and in the season opener.

"Really, the concussions haven't been an issue since 2006," Morgan said. "I was cleared to play in 2007 and that wasn't really why I retired. I feel good about this. It's been three years since I have had a concussion and I've dealt with the best doctors in the world and have taken and will continue to take every precaution."

(espn.com)

Linebacker Dan Morgan has informed the Saints he intends to return to the NFL after a one-year retirement, General Manager Mickey Loomis confirmed. The Saints will maintain Morgan’s rights if he is reinstated, though it’s not clear if they want to keep him under contract or if he wants to look to play elsewhere.

The Saints signed Morgan to a one-year, incentive-laden contract last March, when he was attempting to come back from an Achilles tendon injury and a series of concussions. But Morgan chose to retire two months later when the rehab wasn’t progressing as quickly as he had hoped.

(saintsgab.com)

The Saints may be making their first off-season acquisition...again. Remember Dan Morgan?  He's the linebacker the Saints signed from Carolina last off-season but before ever even putting on a Saints uniform he abrubtly retired. Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk says that Dan Morgan is planning a comeback. 

Per a league source, Morgan intends to return to the New Orleans Saints   

Of course this begs the question: Is Gregg Williams behind all of this? We know Gibbs sucks but is his defense so awful that Morgan retired just to avoid being a part of it and only now feels he can return with Williams at the wheel? I'm kidding...sorta. We already know Williams has a penchant for talented linebackers and has gushed about Vilma this week so perhaps he's behind all of this and is attempting to snag yet another Miami LB to be a part of his defensive turnaround.

Whatever the reason for his possible return it's fair to say Dan Morgan will have an uphill climb to make this squad next year. A talented player when in his prime, Morgan is no spring chicken anymore and has been very injury prone, playing minimally his last two seasons. I doubt Morgan will be much of a solution to the Saints defensive issues but everyone deserves a shot and it certainly couldn't hurt to give him a look. If Dan

Morgan does return I wish him good luck and welcome him back with open arms. 

(canalstreetchronicles)

Insert your own “tackling hunger” quip here: Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan and his wife, Ashleigh, are teaming with Charlotte-based restaurant consultants the BarFly Group to open a new pizzeria and a modern diner near StoneCrest in south Charlotte.

Cheese Mo'z, which they say will be the area's first coal-fired pizzeria, is slated to open in mid-February in the new Village at Robinson Farm development at Rea Road and Williams Pond Lane. Sweet T's, which is set to serve Southern-style comfort food at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with cakes and pies for dessert, will debut next door later that month.

Morgan, 30, took his inspiration from Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza, a chain he enjoyed in South Florida where he played for the University of Miami, said Kristy Weinberg, who owns the BarFly Group with husband Chris.

“Believe it or not for a big old football player, (Morgan) was very involved in the creation side,” she said, noting that he offered plenty of ideas about the restaurant's menu and decor. Cheese Mo'z will serve pizza, pasta, sandwiches, salads and wings in a casual, sit-down setting, and with a full bar and plenty of TVs (showing football, presumably, among other programming).

(charlotteobserver.com)

The Rock Hill Herald reports while many Panthers fans were hoping LB Dan Morgan would be able to sign a ceremonial deal with the team to "retire a Panther," that's now off the board. New Orleans placed Morgan on the reserve-retired list last Tuesday, which effectively ties his rights to the Saints. For the Panthers to have signed him to any kind of deal, New Orleans would have had to terminate his contract, and there's no real reason for them to.

(ffmastermind.com)

The best news of the entire offseason came Monday night.

Linebacker Dan Morgan retired after seven NFL seasons. This isn't going to be your typical column talking about how sad it is to see a player walk away from the game.

This is going to be celebratory in tone because retiring now is what's best for Morgan and his family. In fact, the only thing that slightly dampens Morgan's walking away now is that he should have done it a year sooner.

After covering Morgan from the day he was drafted in the first round by the Carolina Panthers in 2001, there came a point -- and I can't remember exactly when -- that it became obvious he was a walking time bomb. Was it the third documented concussion? Or maybe the fifth?

During that time, stories kept popping up about retired players and the problems they were having later in life as the result of concussions they'd had as players. The stories were gruesome, and the last thing anybody who has ever met Morgan would want to see is his ending up like that.

Reporters and the players they cover aren't supposed to be friends. It's just the rules of the business. You don't get too close to them so you're not in an awkward position if they screw up and you have to write about it. They don't get too close to you because -- well, you're in a different tax bracket.

But of all the guys I dealt with as a beat writer covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Panthers, Morgan made that line the most blurry. He was just a very regular guy. The kind of guy who'd take a cell phone from a reporter in a Spartanburg, S.C., pizza place and wake another napping reporter and tell him to get over there.

The kind of guy you'd like to grab a beer with if the rules for reporters and athletes weren't in place and if Morgan didn't have his own set of rules. The guy took pride in the fact that alcohol had never touched his lips.

That's how dedicated Morgan was to football and his body. The game was sacred. He grew up as the son of Dan Marino's former bodyguard. The body was sacred. Nobody's conditioning program was more strenuous than Morgan's. A columnist I worked with in Charlotte went down to South Florida soon after Morgan was drafted to watch him work out.

Morgan plowed through sand dunes for an hour in May heat. He stopped … to throw up and, then, went right back to running.

But that's the irony of it all. Once he got to the NFL, Morgan's body betrayed him. The injuries started right away, with Morgan going down with a broken leg in his rookie season. Weird things kept happening and Morgan never was able to play a full season with the Panthers.

When he did play, he was spectacular. It gets overshadowed because the Patriots won, but Morgan made 25 tackles in Super Bowl XXXVIII. There were a few other outstanding games through the years and, at his best, Morgan stacked up with any linebacker in the league.

But the injuries kept coming, and then the concussions started piling up. There was one in the 2006 preseason followed closely by another in that season's opener. The Panthers shut Morgan down for the season, and some pretty important people in the organization tried to tell him it was time to walk away.

Morgan couldn't. He went to numerous concussion specialists and the consensus was he could return to play in 2007. The Panthers had a huge decision to make. Could they even let Morgan back on the field?

Owner Jerry Richardson knew if Morgan didn't play in Carolina, he'd play somewhere. If Morgan was going to play anywhere, Richardson decided, it should be with the team that drafted him. Reporters and fans rolled their eyes and hoped they weren't about to see a worst-case scenario.

But that became moot three games into last season, when Morgan went down with an Achilles tendon injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year. In the meantime, rookie Jon Beason showed he was a healthy version of Morgan. The Panthers again suggested to Morgan that he retire and he declined. They released him and Morgan signed with the New Orleans Saints in March.

Sometime in recent days, Morgan began seeing what the rest of the world had seen for the past couple of years. He has a lovely wife and two beautiful children. He's 29 and has all the money he'll ever need. He still seems to have reasonable health.

Watching Morgan the past couple of years, you couldn't help but get the feeling that things were going to end horribly if he kept playing. Maybe one more concussion would be one too many.

That's why it's time to celebrate. A guy, a truly good guy, who seemed to have tunnel vision only for football, finally looked around and saw a great life outside of football. Then, mercifully, he walked away while he still could.

(espn.com)

The considerable lack of talent and playmaking ability at the linebacker position last year played a major role in the putridity of the Saints defense.  Fortunately, that issue has since been addressed.  Jonathan Vilma and Dan Morgan, if healthy, will immediately morph the Saints’ linebacking corps into a top-five unit. 

Scott Shanle and Mark Simoneau will provide depth should Morgan or Vilma go down.  That’s a good thing, I think.  Shale and Simoneau are better suited as backups anyway.  They’ve both got good instincts, but not necessarily the superior athleticism needed to be a starting linebacker in the NFL.    

Vilma and Morgan have both produced at a pro bowl level at one time or another in their career.  Vilma was 2004 Defensive Rookie of the Year and Morgan made 25 tackles in the 2004 Super Bowl.  So we know these guys can produce.  There’s no doubt about their ability.

The only question mark is their susceptibility to injury.  Can Vilma recover from the knee injury that sidelined him for nine games last season?  (By the way, I’d love for someone with any sort of medical knowledge explain to me what happened to his knee.  A piece of dead bone became dislodged?  What the hell does that mean?  I didn’t know bone could just die and then break off like some sort of rotten tree branch.  Has anyone ever heard of this injury?)

As for Morgan, will he be able to play with the reckless abandon that makes him so good now that he’s only a couple of concussions away from brain damage?

There’s really no way to tell for sure right now.  But one thing I do know for certain is that these guys are motivated.  They’re confident and probably cocky and most definitely eager to show the world they’ve still got it.  You know why?  Because they’re from the U and that’s what guys from the U do.

Another plus about the addition of Vilma and Morgan is that New Orleans isn’t really invested too deeply into either guy.  Morgan signed a one year contract for not that much money and Vilma was exchanged for a meager 4th round pick.  He’ll also be a free agent after next season.  So even if they don’t pan out, the Saints won’t have lost that much. 

So the linebacker position has been addressed.  I’d like to see the Saints pick up another LB in the draft for depth purposes.  A guy like Ali Highsmith out of LSU would fit the mold.  Highsmith was originally predicted to be a late first or early second round pick this year, until he ran a 5.0 forty at the combine.  He immediately dropped way down on everyone’s draft board, so the Saints might be able to nab him in the fourth or fifth round.

Either way, I feel pretty good about who’ll lining up at linebacker for New Orleans this season. 

(mvn.com)

 New Orleans Saints - Dan Morgan

The Saints have loaded up at linebacker this offseason by plucking two former Miami Hurricane linebackers from east-coast teams. First, the Saints traded for Jets LB Jonathan Vilma to start at middle linebacker.

Nearly one week into free agency, the Saints have signed long-time Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan, according to the Gaston Gazette.

Morgan, 29, 6'2, 245, is an instinctive and imposing linebacker with the neck of a tree trunk and a history of outstanding play. The former collegiate fullback also played weakside linebacker at Miami, where is he expected to play in New Orleans. The Saints have two-year starter Scott Shanle under contract, and Morgan is expected to compete for the starting job. In Carolina, Morgan has started at all three linebacker positions. Click here to continue reading...

Former Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan visited Detroit. He's also met with New Orleans in an attempt to continue his career.

(heraldonline.com)

Word out of Panthers camp is that MLB Dan Morgan, who missed the final 15 games last season after suffering two concussions in less than a month, is wearing a new helmet and mouthpiece aimed at preventing another concussion. In addition, the Panthers are holding Morgan out of all contact drills at training camp, and we hear he won't play much, if at all, in the preseason games.

(pfw.com)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Dan Morgan strapped on his extra-padded helmet, adjusted his special mouthpiece and ran onto the field, knowing some people think he's making a horrible decision.

The Carolina Panthers' linebacker is trying to return from at least the fifth concussion of his career, the one that forced him to miss the final 15 games last season.

There are disturbing stories of the long-term effects of multiple blows to the head, from memory loss to depression to dementia. But there was Morgan Saturday morning, running around the practice field in a steady rain, knowing that many think he's putting himself at risk.

"I know everybody thinks that and I know that," Morgan said. "Anybody who steps on the field is at risk, but I am more so because I have had more concussions than the average person.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. Dan Morgan strapped on his extra-padded helmet, adjusted his special mouthpiece and ran onto the field knowing some people think he's making a horrible decision.

The Carolina Panthers' linebacker is trying to return from at least the fifth concussion of his career, one that forced him to miss the final 15 games last season.

There are disturbing stories of the long-term effects of multiple blows to the head, from memory loss to dementia. But there was Morgan on Saturday morning, running around the practice field in a steady rain.

Colorful, candid NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus talked with the Observer's Charles Chandler before giving a speech at a Charlotte Touchdown Club luncheon Wednesday. In the interview, Rosenhaus discussed controversies involving clients Clinton Portis and Terrell Owens and the prospects for Panthers clients Dan Morgan (linebacker) and Justin Hartwig (center-guard):

Q. Are you concerned about Morgan playing again despite his history of concussions? Of course, I'm concerned. I care about Dan, not as a client, but as a friend, as a brother. I'm concerned because of the severity of the situation, but I want to assure you we've been very thorough. We've been very careful. He's healthy, he's normal. He's got a normal baseline right now.
What may happen in the future? We're hoping for the best. But one thing I can promise you is we are not going to, in any capacity, risk it. If anything should happen, he'll retire.

Q. How does the Panthers picking the draft's top center, Southern Cal's Ryan Kalil, in the second round last month affect Justin Hartwig, who was slated to be Carolina's center when he signed a lucrative free agent deal last year? I talked to the team about it. I think the feeling is that Justin is one of the more versatile linemen. Justin can play guard. He was drafted as a tackle. He has a great deal of versatility. He's not the kind of player that a rookie is going to come in and beat him out. But he's an unselfish player and he'll play any position.

One of the highlights of the Carolina Panthers' weekend minicamp is the return of linebacker Dan Morgan.

It's his first practice time since early last season; he missed all but one game in 2006 because of the latest in a series of concussions.

"I'm excited to be out here," said Morgan, who is reported to have suffered at least five concussions. "Just being around the guys again is really great."

Speculation swirled about Morgan's status for most of last season before doctors cleared him to play again.

"I'm not concerned," he said. "I'm not going to come out and be scared to hit anybody.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Just days after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ordered all team doctors and trainers to attend a summit on concussions, Carolina linebacker Dan Morgan was back on the field.

Morgan, who has suffered at least five concussions in his career, has heard about the summit and the concussion symposium held last month in California. He knows about the stories of depression and memory loss from numerous ex-players. He knows Leigh Steinberg recently label concussions ``a health epidemic.''

But Morgan is determined to return to the game he loves. And on Friday, less than eight months after his most recent concussion, Morgan took part in the Panthers' opening minicamp practice.

``Obviously the words surrounding a concussion are me and some other guys. But I'm not concerned with it. It's out of my head,'' Morgan said. ``I really don't even want to talk about it. I want to move on and get on with my football career, play and have fun.''

PHOENIX --There was a time last fall when Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Dan Morgan said he was ready to play football. So did a Pittsburgh-based concussion specialist. Neither opinion really mattered.

"I said, `Dan, you're not going to play on our team until the doctors clear you,' " Jerry Richardson said.

Richardson, of course, is the owner of the Panthers. Richardson admitted Wednesday at the annual NFL meeting at the Arizona Biltmore that he exercised veto power on Morgan's comeback attempt after suffering at least his fifth reported concussion (dating back to college) in last season's opening game.

Morgan's future with Carolina had been uncertain since he suffered at least the fifth concussion of his career in last season's opening game against Atlanta.

Doctors told him to sit out the final 15 games, and Morgan declared he was cleared to play in 2007 on Jan. 1, the day after the Panthers finished a disappointing 8-8 season.

The middle linebacker was due a $2 million roster bonus Thursday. The reworked deal makes his contract more salary-cap friendly.

Still, there are questions about Morgan's ability to stay on the field. He's missed 40 of 96 games in his six-year Panthers' career because of concussions and other injuries. Studies have shown players with multiple concussions are more likely to suffer additional concussions, and there are concerns about long-term damage.

(news-record.com)

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Dan Morgan said yesterday he's been cleared to return to football next season despite multiple concussions.

Morgan suffered at least the fifth concussion of his career in the season opener against Atlanta and missed the rest of the season.

But Morgan said he was in Pittsburgh last week, where he took numerous tests, and a team of physicians led by concussion expert Dr. Mickey Collins gave him the OK to begin playing again during mini-camps in the spring.

Collins recommended in October that Morgan not return this season.

"It was real exciting. That was a great Christmas present, a late Christmas present," Morgan said yesterday. "I felt great. I felt I was going to do real well and I went up there and did real well on all my testing."

Morgan suffered his first concussion as a pro in 2003. He missed four more games in 2004 with another concussion. He then suffered one in the pre-season and another in the loss to Atlanta in Week 1 this year.

(edmontonsun.com)

It was obvious Butch Davis was a big man with a bigger personality from the moment he walked through the door into Dan Morgan's home.

Davis, who's 6-foot-4, exuded a confidence that made him seem even larger on his recruiting visit with Morgan.

He was wearing one of the Super Bowl rings he had won as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys. He seemed sure of himself as he made his pitch.

"He's definitely an imposing person when he walks into your living room," said Morgan, who played for Davis at Miami and now is a linebacker for the Carolina Panthers. "He definitely has a demeanor about him that's very professional and very confident."

Panthers MLB Dan Morgan reiterated last week that his headaches and other symptoms relating to a season-ending concussion are gone and that he plans on returning next season. We hear the Panthers aren't as optimistic about Morgan's full return, and they are likely going to add more depth at the LB spot in the offseason.

(profootballnews.com)

Linebacker Dan Morgan reiterated Wednesday that he expects to return next season."I feel great; I'm ready to come back next year and get it rolling," he said before entering Bank of America Stadium to lift weights. "I've been sitting and watching the games, I feel totally fine and I'm ready to go."

Morgan was put on the injured reserve list and is out for the season after suffering a concussion in the season opener.

Morgan said he no longer has headaches or other symptoms from the concussion. He's scheduled to meet again in February with a doctor who specializes in the treatment of concussions.

"I definitely feel like I could be out there and making our defense even better, but it's easy saying that in the stands," he said. "The doctors wanted to make sure there were no problems next year, that's why they sat me the rest of this year. Nothing's guaranteed, but it's given me a great shot to come back next year and be real healthy."

(charlotte.com)

Dan Morgan dodged a bullet Wednesday when he announced that he would sit out the rest of the NFL season after suffering at least the fifth and sixth concussions of his career this summer. Scratch that -- he dodged a cannonball.

If Morgan, the Carolina Panthers' star linebacker, had returned, research suggests that he would likely suffer at least a third concussion this season and join a long list of NFL players -- including Steve Young, Troy Aikman, Merril Hoge, Ted Johnson, Wayne Chrebet, Al Toon, Ed McCaffrey, Bill Romanowski, Chris Miller, Stan Humphries, Frank Wycheck and Bob Christian -- who have had to retire early because of post-concussion syndrome (PCS).

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Chris Draft sometimes wonder why there aren't more head injuries in football.

"It's one of those things where we run out there and we have these helmets on our heads, but they say it's like a car wreck every time we hit somebody," the Carolina linebacker said. "We really just don't take care of our bodies too well by playing football. But we love playing it, so that's what we do."

Draft will start at middle linebacker for the Panthers on Sunday in place of Dan Morgan, who announced this week he'll sit out the rest of the season because of lingering effects from two concussions suffered in the preseason and in the opener against Atlanta.

Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - The Carolina Panthers announced that middle linebacker Dan Morgan will miss the rest of the season on Wednesday. The star linebacker is suffering from the effects of a concussion.

Morgan slammed his head on the turf in the Panthers' season-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He has not been able to practice since the injury.

"He did meet with the medical people and they felt it was in his best interest not to play the remainder of the season," Panthers coach John Fox said.

Panthers MLB Dan Morgan, sidelined since Week 1 with a concussion, took his first step toward returning to game action by participating in individual drills in practice last week. While he's still likely several weeks away from returning to the starting lineup, we hear Morgan, who has suffered four documented concussions with the Panthers, is intent on playing in the NFL again.
(profootballweekly.com)

Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan, sidelined since the season opener with a concussion, continues to make progress towards a return.

"As far as exercise, he's been given the go-ahead," Panthers coach John Fox said this afternoon. "He's exercising extensively. Now we're just looking for the next step, but he'll continue to exercise.

Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan is planning to play football again, Panthers coach John Fox said today at his weekly press conference.

"He wants to play again," Fox said. "He's not talking about walking away from it, no. That's his feelings."

Morgan has been sidelined since the first game of the regular season after suffering at least his fourth concussion as an NFL player. He has also suffered two other head-jarring incidents that were not necessarily concussions, and had another concussion in college.

CHARLOTTE (AP) -- Carolina linebacker Dan Morgan and tight end Mike Seidman won't play Sunday against New Orleans.

Morgan hasn't played since suffering at least the fifth concussion of his career in the season opener against Atlanta. Seidman suffered a knee injury in last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay.

CHARLOTTE -- Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan and tight end Mike Seidman won't play Sunday against New Orleans.

Morgan hasn't played since suffering at least the fifth concussion of his career in the season opener against Atlanta. Seidman hurt his knee in last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay.

Coach John Fox said there is no target date for Morgan's return.

CHARLOTTE -- When Carolina's Dan Morgan suffered another concussion in last Sunday's loss to Atlanta, questions were raised about his future.

But Adam Seward, who may replace him at middle linebacker in this Sunday's game, believes Morgan will be back.

"He's going to be fine. This isn't something that's career-ending. He's a great player and he's been in this situation before," Seward said.

Morgan has suffered at least five concussions since 2003. Medical studies have shown players who suffer multiple concussions are more susceptible to future head injuries.

As expected, linebacker Dan Morgan will miss Sunday's game at Minnesota as he recovers from a concussion.

The Panthers officially declared Morgan out when they released Wednesday's injury report and it's likely he'll miss several more games.

The injury report also brought more news for an offensive line that already lost left tackle Travelle Wharton to a knee injury. Center Justin Hartwig now is listed as questionable with a groin injury and did not practice Wednesday. If Hartwig is unable to play, Geoff Hangartner or Will Montgomery could get increased playing time against Minnesota.

CHARLOTTE – Dan Morgan’s latest injury has fans debating whether or not he should call it quits.

During Sunday’s home-opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Panther stand-out linebacker left the game after suffering a head injury in the first half. The injury occurred while Morgan was tackling Falcons’ running back Jerious Norwood. He did not return.

According to the NFL's website, it is at least Morgan’s fifth concussion since entering the league in 2001. Morgan has now missed seven full games and parts of six others due to concussions.

While the NFL injury report lists it as a concussion, doctors have another name for it: a brain injury.

“As you have more severe concussions or as they start to add up over time you can begin to experience more significant problems,” said Dr. Jim McDeavitt of the Carolinas Healthcare System.

Dan Morgan stood on the sideline, helmet off with no one around him, moments after suffering his latest concussion. He watched helplessly as Atlanta dominated his Carolina Panthers in the season opener.

The linebacker's uncertain future was one of many questions for the Panthers on Monday after a disastrous start to a season that some had guessed would end with Carolina in the Super Bowl.

The news got worse late Monday when the team announced left tackle Travelle Wharton was lost for the season with two torn ligaments in his left knee.

Morgan's concussion in the second quarter was at least the fifth of his career and he did not return in the 20-6 loss. Without Morgan anchoring the middle of the defense, the Falcons rushed for 252 yards, the second most allowed by Carolina in its 12-year history.

Morgan, the team's No. 1 pick in 2001, has been plagued by injuries in his career.

Carolina officials have to be concerned that middle linebacker Dan Morgan suffered another concussion in Sunday's loss. Morgan, now in his sixth season, has to be nearing double-digit concussions. He's a terrific player, one of the best combination size-speed "Mike" linebackers in the league, but he missed an average of five games per year in his first five seasons. Morgan worked hard to avoid injuries this summer, but that hyperbaric chamber he brought to training camp this year isn't going to help him with concussions. "

(Espn.com)

MLB Dan Morgan missed Carolina's third preseason game because he was suffering from a "minor head injury." While the Panthers aren't officially calling it a concussion, our sources tell us to keep a close eye on the situation because of Morgan's injury history. Morgan, the Panthers' most indispensable linebacker, has suffered multiple concussions in his five-year career and has never stayed healthy for all 16 games in the regular season.
(profootballweekly)