Len Dawson Career
Lenny the Cool: Chiefs legend and Hall of Fame quarterback.
Leonard Ray Dawson (June 20, 1935 – August 24, 2022) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. After playing college football for the Purdue Boilermakers, Dawson began his NFL career in 1957, spending three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and two with the Cleveland Browns. He left the NFL in 1962 to sign with the AFL's Chiefs (then known as the Dallas Texans), where he spent the last 14 seasons of his career, and rejoined the NFL after the AFL–NFL merger.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Quarterback
- Affiliation
- Kansas City Chiefs (1962–1975)
- Major honour
- Super Bowl IV Champion
- Legacy record
- Franchise leader in passing yards and touchdowns upon retirement
- Status
- Retired; Hall of Fame
Lore & Background
Dawson was born in Alliance, Ohio, the son of Annie and James Dawson. He was the seventh son of a seventh son and 9th of 11 children overall. He attended Alliance High School, where he was MVP of the football team and named outstanding Ohio back of the year by the International News Service. A three-sport athlete, Dawson set school records in football and basketball, and was the first athlete in 13 years to be named first-team all-state in both sports during the same year.
Reader's Guide
In the AFL, Dawson led the league in completion percentage seven times, passer rating six times, and passing touchdowns four times. He was named Most Valuable Player in 1962 and selected to six AFL All-Star games. Dawson also guided the Chiefs to three AFL championships and the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl IV, of which he was named MVP. He retired from professional football after the 1975 season and later served as the sports director at KMBC-TV in Kansas City and color analyst for the Chiefs Radio Network. His demeanor and style earned him the nickname 'Lenny the Cool' from his teammates.
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