Len Dawson, Legendary Chiefs Quarterback, Passes Away -

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Len Dawson passed away early Wednesday morning. He was surrounded by his wife, Linda, who released the following statement via KMBCTV in Kansas City. “It is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson. He was a wonderful husband, father, brother and friend. Len was always grateful, and many times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made during his football and broadcast careers. He loved Kansas City and no matter where his travels took him, he could not wait to return home.” Dawson was 87 years old.

Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt released the following statement remembering 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,” 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.”

Besides his success on the football field, Dawson was also able to find immediate success in broadcasting. Let’s quickly look back on his career timeline.

Playing Career

Len Dawson did not actually begin his professional football career with the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. He was originally a brief member of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns, appearing in 28 games across five seasons with those two teams. Dawson would then leave the NFL and join the AFL in 1962, signing with the then Dallas Texans. He led the league in touchdowns, completion percentage and yards per attempt in that first season in Dallas. After playing with them for one season in Dallas, the team relocated to Kansas City as the Chiefs in 1963.

As Hunt alluded to, Dawson helped put Kansas City and the Chiefs franchise on the map. He continued to lead the AFL in either completion percentage or touchdowns early on after the relocation. The team’s stellar 1966 season saw them dominate the Buffalo Bills in the AFL Championship. As a result, Dawson and the Chiefs appeared in the first ever Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers in the following contest. Despite the loss, Dawson’s leadership and impact were on full display.

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Kansas City would go on to win three AFL titles with Dawson as the captain of their ship. It was the last of those three in 1969 that ended up being the most special for he and the Chiefs. Dawson was actually injured during part of the campaign, nursing a knee injury that cost him five games in the regular season. The quarterback made a triumphant return, downing the rival Oakland Raiders in the AFL Championship and winning Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings. Len Dawson was named Super Bowl IV MVP, completing all but five passes in the game.

Dawson’s numerous accolades include being a six-time AFL All-Star, a seven-time AFL completion percentage leader and being named 1973 NFL Man of the Year. In addition, the Chiefs inducted him into their team hall of fame and retired his number 16 jersey. He was named as part of the AFL All-Time team in 1970. Finally, Len Dawson became inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Broadcasting Career

When he was actually still playing, Len Dawson became a sports director for KMBCTV in Kansas City during 1966. After his playing career, he found success as the host of HBO’s Inside the NFL. This is a role that Dawson held from 1977 to 2001. He covered the NFL’s AFC games on NBC from 1977 to 1982. Elsewhere, Dawson was a color analyst for the Chiefs’ radio broadcast team for over 30 years, from 1985 to 2017.

Because of his tremendous work in the booth, the Chiefs would go on to name their broadcast booth at Arrowhead Stadium after Dawson. This was announced at the beginning of his final season as radio analyst. Furthermore, Dawson was honored with the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012 for his broadcast contributions.

Lasting Impact

Whether it is the NFL in general, the Kansas City Chiefs or the KC community, Len Dawson will always leave a lasting impression. He captained so many ships in his career. Without his play, words or guidance, football may not have been as impactful for Kansas City after getting a new team. The Chiefs’ success in the late AFL days were propelled by Dawson. If not for that, the NFL may not have even turned out the way it did and as we know it today.

Because of that and his ability to give back, Kansas City, football and the NFL were able to grow steadily thanks to the early impact of Len Dawson. That legacy will go on to be felt in numerous ways.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.