Len Dawson, a Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Kansas City Chiefs to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win, has died. He was 87 years old.
The Dawson family released a statement to KMBC, where Dawson became athletic director in 1966 (while still playing). Dawson spent more than 40 years at the station, before stepping down as anchor in 2009.
“With his wife Linda by his side, it is with great 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 repeatedly overwhelmed by the countless connections he made during his football and television careers, he loved Kansas City and no matter where his travels took him, he couldn’t wait to get home.
“Linda would like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful team of doctors, nurses and support staff at KU Med who showed so much love and compassion for Len.”
Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, Dawson made just two starts in his first five NFL seasons. He got his break in 1962 when he joined the Dallas Texans, an AFL club in its third year of existence. Dawson led the Texans to an AFL title that season after leading the league in completion percentage and touchdown passes.
One of the best quarterbacks in professional football in the 1960s, Dawson led the AFL in completion percentage seven times over an eight-year span. He also paced the league in touchdown passes four times over a five-year span. Dawson’s success translated into victories for Kansas City, which moved after the 1962 season. The Chiefs won the AFL title in 1966 while clinching their ticket to the first Super Bowl. Dawson threw a touchdown pass in the first half, but the Chiefs ultimately fell to Vince Lombardi’s Packers, who won five NFL titles in the decade. A photo taken from Dawson to smoke a cigarette at halftime has become one of the most iconic images in professional football history.
Three years later, the Chiefs returned to the Super Bowl after defeating the two previous AFL champions – the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders – in the playoffs. Kansas City would face the heavily favored Vikings in the last game played before the AFL-NFL merger. Despite the Vikings’ formidable defense and a muddy playing field, Dawson completed nearly 71% of his passes while throwing the assisting touchdown pass to Otis Taylor, who caught Dawson’s quick pass and ran 40 yards to pay dirtiness. Dawson earned MVP honors after Kansas City’s 23-7 win.
Dawson continued to play at the elite level after the merger. He was named to his seventh Pro Bowl in 1971 while helping lead the Chiefs to a division title. On Christmas Day 1971, he quarterbacked the longest game in NFL history, as Kansas City fell to Don Shula’s Dolphins in a Divisional Round playoff game that lasted nearly 83 minutes.
In 1975, the 40-year-old Dawson led the NFL in completion percentage in his final season. In his 14 years with the Chiefs organization, Dawson went 98-59-3 as a starting quarterback. Dawson was part of a star chef team that also included Taylor, running back Mike Garrett, offensive linemen Jim Tyrer and Ed Budde, Hall of Famers Curley Culp, Bobby Bell, Willie Lanier, Emmitt Thomas and the kicker Jan Stenerud. The Chiefs were also managed by Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram and Hall of Fame owner Lamar Hunt.
A pioneer of the grill as one of the first player broadcasters, Dawson had a long broadcasting career that included a 24-year run as host of HBO’s “Inside the NFL.” Dawson also served as the Chiefs’ radio color analyst from 1985 to 2017. He received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award for his longtime contributions as a sports broadcaster in 2012.
“Looking back at my career, I’ve been blessed for what I’ve had the opportunity to do,” Dawson said in 2017.
