Len Dawson, the leader of the Kansas City Chiefs His family has confirmed that he passed away at the age of 87. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as both an athlete and broadcaster.
“With wife Linda by his side it is with great sadness that we inform You of the passing our beloved Len Dawson,” Lawson, who was a sports broadcaster, said the Dawson family in a statement to KMBC Kansas City. He was a great husband, father, brother, and friend. Len was always grateful, and often overwhelmed by the many bonds that he created during his broadcast and football career.
“He loved Kansas City. No matter where he traveled, he could never wait to return home.
Dawson, who was entered hospice care On Aug. 12, he was born in Kansas City and worked nearly 50 years for the Chiefs, including 14 years as an analyst broadcasting and 33 as a quarterback.
He served as a sparingly-used backup for the NHL the first five years his professional career of 19 seasons. Pittsburgh Steelers And Cleveland BrownsBut his career took off after he signed 1962 to play for AFL’s Dallas Texans. (The Kansas City Chiefs would be his team). Hank Stram was Hank Stram’s assistant. Purdue during Dawson’s stellar collegiate career.
Stram, once called “the most accurate quarterback in pro football”, quickly proved he was worthy to be a team’s No. 1 quarterback. He was the AFL’s leader in completion percentage (61.0). He also earned 1962 Player-of-the Year honors while leading the Texans towards the league title.
Dawson, who was seven-time All-Star/Pro Bowler, twice a first-team All-Pro, brought the team’s success to Kansas City.
1966 saw Dawson lead the Chiefs in another AFL title. It was his first trip to the Super Bowl. Dawson performed well (16-of 27, 211 yards), but Vince Lombardi’s Chiefs overmatched them. Green Bay Packers In a loss of 35-10
Three seasons later, the Chiefs returned to face the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Joe Namath, the New York Jets The NFL had upset the Baltimore Colts last year and the Vikings were a double-digit favorite.
The Kansas City defense won and Dawson played an impressive game (12-of-17 for 142 yards), which included a 46-yard touchdown to Otis Taylor in quarter three that secured the win 23-7.
Dawson was chosen as the second-team quarterback behind Namath on the AFL’s All-Time Team in 1970.
Following a TV-radio career that began in 1966 with Kansas City TV as a sports anchor, Dawson went on to become a broadcaster and analyst for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dawson was an analyst for NBC’s games and a host of HBO’s “Inside The NFL.”
Dawson, who was 33 years old as Chiefs’ radio color analyst, retired in 2017 after a number of health issues including prostate cancer and quadruple bypass surgery.