Morris Claiborne
A supremely talented cornerback whose LSU dominance led to high NFL expectations, battling injuries to forge an eight-year career.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American football player·Birthday: February 7·Millennials
Biography
Morris Claiborne arrived in the NFL wrapped in the can't-miss aura of a top-10 pick. At LSU, he was a shutdown artist, winning the 2011 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back and anchoring a secondary for a team that reached the BCS National Championship. The Dallas Cowboys moved up in the 2012 draft to select him sixth overall, viewing him as a cornerstone. His professional journey, however, became a story of resilience. Hampered by wrist and knee injuries early on, he fought to reclaim his form. While he never quite matched his collegiate dominance, Claiborne evolved into a reliable starter, later playing for the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, proving his durability and football intelligence over nearly a decade.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Morris was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Morris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Morris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2011 as the best defensive back in college football.
- Was named a unanimous All-American in 2011 after his final season at LSU.
- Selected sixth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys after they traded up to get him.
- Started 75 games over an eight-season NFL career with three different teams.
Did You Know?
He reportedly scored a 4 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test at the NFL combine, a result that sparked widespread discussion.
Claiborne played wide receiver as well as defensive back in high school in Shreveport, Louisiana.
He was teammates with several other future NFL defensive backs at LSU, including Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid.
“My job is to take the other team's best receiver and shut him down.”
