If and when an NFL team makes it to December unbeaten, Mercury Morris becomes relevant again. So it's no surprise the de facto spokesman for the 1972 Miami Dolphins has chimed in on the 12-0 Carolina Panthers.

"I have to take my hat off to them. It's not easy to get 12 wins," the 68-year-old former running back told TMZ.

But with the Panthers still seven wins away from joining those '72 Dolphins as the only teams to win a Super Bowl after a perfect regular season, Morris isn't yet worried he'll have company.

"Go ask the Patriots how difficult it is to do it and how they feel about some little kid in Guatemala wearing those perfect 19-0 Super Bowl tees," he said.

"Let [the Panthers] get past that jinx of the 13th game and then come ask me again if I think they will have a perfect season."

But the 13th game hasn't been much of a problem for late-season unbeatens. Of the seven teams that previously went 12-0, only Ron Rivera's 1985 Bears fell to 12-1. The 14th game seems to be the real jinx with the 1998 Broncos, 2005 Colts, 2009 Saints and 2011 all finally falling at 13-0.

Even if the Panthers run the gauntlet, Morris likely won't welcome them into his club with open arms.

"Do you know the second biggest canyon in the U.S.? No, because everyone only knows about the Grand Canyon," Morris said. "No one cares about the second to do anything."

Of course, the Dolphins played two fewer regular-season games back in '72. So the Panthers have a shot to become the first team to reach the NFL's modern-day pinnacle of 19-0.