Len Dawson

Len Dawson
refer to caption
Dawson with the Chiefs in 1975
No. 18, 16
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born:(1935-06-20)June 20, 1935
Alliance, Ohio, U.S.
Died:August 24, 2022(2022-08-24) (aged 87)
Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:Alliance (OH)
College:Purdue (1953–1956)
NFL draft:1957 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Passing attempts:3,741
Passing completions:2,136
Completion percentage:57.1%
TDINT:239–183
Passing yards:28,711
Passer rating:82.6
Player stats at PFR

Leonard Ray Dawson (June 20, 1935 – August 24, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played 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 at Purdue, Dawson began his professional career with the NFL 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.

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.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ Anderson, Dave (January 11, 1970). "The Heat Is on Lenny the Cool". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Morse, Greg (August 15, 2022). "Why Len Dawson will always be Lenny the Cool".
  3. ^ "'Lenny the Cool' dies at 87". The Cowley CourierTraveler. August 25, 2022.

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