Len Dawson has passed - RIP

[Al Bundy]

https://kmbc.com/article/len-dawson-...at-87/40943140

"He loved Kansas City and no matter where his travels took him, he could not wait to return home."

Rest well, Len. ❤️

Len Dawson has died at the age of 87: https://t.co/rRdEugmMD9 pic.twitter.com/cJfMwKtpon

— KMBC (@kmbc) August 24, 2022

https://www.chiefs.com/news/chiefs-m...4l3P21ZulRpgwc

Chiefs Mourn the Passing of Franchise Legend Len Dawson
Aug 24, 2022 at 07:47 AM

The Kansas City Chiefs are saddened to share the passing of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, Chiefs legend and Kansas City icon, Len Dawson.

"My family and I are heartbroken. Len Dawson is synonymous with the Kansas City Chiefs. Len embraced and came to embody Kansas City and the people that call it home. You would be hard-pressed to find a player who had a bigger impact in shaping the organization as we know it today than Len Dawson did," Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. "I admired Len my entire life – first as a Hall of Fame player on the field, and later as he transitioned into a successful broadcasting career. Throughout his remarkable career, Len made it a priority to give back to the community that he loved. The franchise has lost a true legend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Linda and his family."

Dawson was the heart and soul of the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs franchise during his illustrious14-year Chiefs career, helping make the franchise one of professional football's premier teams while becoming one of the game's elite passers.

Under the leadership of PFHOF Head Coach Hank Stram, who brought Dawson to the Texans/Chiefs franchise in 1962, Dawson's Chiefs were perennial contenders and won American Football League Championships in 1962, 1966 and 1969. He earned the Most Valuable Player award for Super Bowl IV when he directed Kansas City to a 23-7 win over the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings. Dawson won the AFL passing title four times and still holds the franchise's career records for pass attempts (3,696), completions (2,115), passing yards (28,507) and touchdowns (237).

He was named to six AFL All-Star teams and one Pro Bowl squad, and also earned AFL Player of the Year honors for the 1962 season. Dawson started 158 regular season games for Kansas City, the most of any quarterback in franchise history. He led the AFL in passing four different seasons (1962, 1964, 1966 and 1968), pacing the AFL in completion percentage eight times, including a string of six-straight seasons from 1964-69.

Dawson was recognized as the 1973 NFL Man of the Year, one of five Chiefs players to ever earn the honor. He retired from professional football on May 1, 1976. He was enshrined into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1979 and was immortalized at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, in 1987. He was also enshrined in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.

Dawson enjoyed an equally legendary broadcasting career that began during his playing days. In 1966 he served as a sports anchor with KMBC Radio and as sports director for KMBC-TV while serving as the club's signal caller. Following his retirement from professional football after the 1975 season, Dawson joined NBC and served as a color analyst on NFL games until 1982. He then joined the Chiefs Radio Network as a color commentator in 1984, serving on the team's radio crew for 35 years. While working NFL games for NBC, Dawson embarked on what would become a 24-year run that spanned four decades (1977-2001) as the host of HBO's popular "Inside the NFL," cable television's longest-running series and the first NFL-related program to air on cable.

For his contributions to broadcasting, Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Hall's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012. He became just the third individual in professional football history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as both a player and a broadcaster, joining Dan Dierdorf and Frank Gifford.

In 2014, Dawson was honored with the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football at the 44th Annual NFL 101 Awards, recognizing his contributions both on and off the field that helped shape the National Football League into the preeminent professional sports league in America. In 2017, the club renamed the television broadcast booth inside GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium the Len Dawson Broadcast Booth in honor of Dawson's accomplishments both on the field and as a broadcaster.

Dawson began his professional career as a first-round draft pick of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957. He went on to land with Cleveland in 1960 but was cut by the Browns prior to the 1962 season, at which point he was signed by the Dallas Texans as a free agent on July 2, 1962. In total he spent 19 years as a quarterback in the NFL/AFL.

The Alliance, Ohio, native attended Purdue University where he was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Boilermakers (1954-56) and ended his career as the university's leader in career passing yards and touchdown passes.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Mods want to merge this one or just delete it since it is obvious someone did not even look before posting.

This. My bad.

[Otter]

Keeping the Dawson family in my prayers.

[kevrunner]

Sad to read about this, hopefully he’s not in too much discomfort. I was reading about his early life and learned that he was a seventh son from a seventh son, that can’t happen too often. Also read that he was All State in both football and basketball.

[jettio]

I remember he came a couple times to our grade school and would eat a school lunch at the front table in the cafeteria. Always in a good mood whenever I saw him in public.

I love how he credits being the seventh son of a seventh son as a reason for his success in life.

NFL Network should have a tribute slate of games and shows ready when he does pass.

I will save the 1962 AFL Championship Game on the DVR if they show that. I heard a lot about that game, but have not watched.

[neech]

I enjoyed listening to him when he was commentator for Chiefs football games on the radio. "You have to protect the quarterback" he would always say.

[RollChiefsRoll]

The original Chiefs legend.

[frozenchief]

Very sad. Growing up in KC, he was football royalty. The only other player in KC history at the time that could hold a candle to him was George Brett. I’m glad he got to see KC win another ring. He was good to this organization for many, many years.

My wife is getting her master’s degree in nursing and she chose Purdue University. When i heard, I said, “Awesome! You’ll be a BoilerMaker just like Lenny Dawson!” She got a look on her face and started to say something (undoubtedly “who?”) and I just said, “The 2nd best KC QB ever. Lenny the cool. Just nod and say, ‘cool’.” She did. And so now she and Lenny the Cool have something in common, although I don’t think she puts as much weight on it as I do.

[threebag]

This should be sticky’d

[George Liquor]

Sad to hear

[EPodolak]

All my best to Mr. Chief.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

I am sharing this very sad news from my friend, Karen, with her permission, who has Len Jr.'s permission. Karen is with Board of Directors for NFL Alumni-Kansas City Chapter 1987-2021. Please keep Len Dawson & his family in your comforting thoughts and/or prayer. https://t.co/xFAKrdEFhU

My childhood hero.
Heartbreaking news for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

My childhood hero.

Heartbreaking news.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[louie aguiar]

It breaks my heart to hear about Len Dawson going into hospice. We spent a lot of time together traveling with and covering the Chiefs. He's one of the nicest guys ever. No pretensions and was never without that smile.
He was always, "Lenny the cool!!" pic.twitter.com/Ji17ZAwzwq

— frank boal (@realfrankboal) August 12, 2022

[Stryker]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Lenny the cool to Otis Taylor hooked me then. Sorry to hear of his health state. You were the man back in the day. You’ll be remembered. [/url]

Absolutely this! I hope and pray for him but, I have to say, I am so very glad he got to see Mahomes, Kelce and Hill get that Super Bowl win 50 years later! That is really, really special! God bless Lenny the Cool!

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by threebag

This should be sticky’d

Agreed. This is very sad news indeed. Prayers for a quick, painless and peaceful passing.