For Morris, adversity was part of journey

HIGHLAND, Utah — When he was an All-American middle linebacker at staid, button-down BYU a decade ago, Rob Morris carved out a reputation for being outspoken, flamboyant and a little crazy.

Aside from being regarded as one of the best defensive players in school history, Morris craved the spotlight, regaling reporters with his antics, such as taunting 8-foot alligators while on vacation in Florida.

The BYU media relations department nicknamed him "Freight Train" to promote him for the Butkus Award. Once, after scoring a touchdown on a 51-yard interception return, he celebrated by performing a "snow angel" in the end zone grass. He publicly criticized the school's Honor Code Office for the way it handled disciplinary issues involving non-LDS athletes.

These days, having retired this past summer after a checkered eight-year National Football League career with the Indianapolis Colts that included a Super Bowl championship, Morris has mellowed. Life can do that to a guy.

While eating lunch recently in Highland, where he lives with his wife, Tracie, and 5-year-old son, Carter, Morris admits he has changed since he finished playing at BYU in 1999.

"A lot of that was building a reputation in college that matched football. Not that I was being fake, or that it wasn't me," says the Colts' first-round pick in 2000. "To some extent, I was like that.

"Now, I'm more harnessed. I realize that sometimes it's not always the best to say the first thing on your mind. People see me all the time and I'll be talking to them for a few minutes and they'll be like, 'Who is this?' I guess I'm more humble, more meek. That's growing up.

"A lot of that was me building this image," Morris said. "I loved the media attention. When I got to the NFL, it was just the opposite. I didn't want to do interviews. I wanted to be hidden and unnoticed. In Indianapolis, we have a lot of star power there (like quarterback Peyton Manning). I was way down on the rung of stars. And I liked that."

Not that Morris transformed into a wallflower. He remains candid and opinionated, with a quick wit and a wry sense of humor. Besides maturing, the 33-year-old Morris — who sports a shaved head and a goatee — is evolving. Now, he's a regular Mr. Mom. His days are filled with doing household chores while Tracie, who is 23 weeks pregnant with a baby girl, is on doctor-prescribed bed rest.