The following year as a sophomore he started all 13 games, contributing 51 tackles and 7 sacks while earning an honorable mention All-ACC selection.

As a junior in 2009, Morgan was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-American honors from Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, and Scout.com.

He finished the season with 55 tackles (including 18.5 for a loss) and 12.5 sacks while helping his team to a conference championship.

[5][6] He signed a six-year contract on July 31, 2010, which also included playing time incentives that later voided the final year.

[7] He signed a second contract (4-year, $30 million) with the Titans on March 13, 2015, after fielding interest from multiple teams as a free agent.

[10] Morgan made his first NFL start on the seventh game of the 2011 season and remained a starter for the rest of the year.

He finished his career with 44.5 sacks, sixth all-time in Titans history (including the Houston Oilers era) at the time of his retirement.

[16] Morgan has called on the NFL to conduct research on the neuroprotective benefits of cannabis, as part of the league's stated commitment to making player health and safety issues a top priority.

[16] Morgan follows the lead of Eugene Monroe, who in March 2016 became the first active NFL player to openly advocate for the league to change its cannabis policy.

[21] Also in November 2016, Morgan was among the signatories of an open letter addressed to the NFL, urging a change in the league's policy towards cannabis.

[28] The cleats promoted Realm of Caring Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting medical cannabis research.

[32] Both Derrick and Charity appeared in the 2018 documentary about athletes who turn to a plant-based diet, The Game Changers.

[34] In 2011, Morgan participated in a 24-day charity mission to deliver 22,000 hearing aids to children and adults in need across Africa.