“With spouse Linda at their side, it is along with much sadness that individuals inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson, ” the particular Dawson family stated in a statement in order to CNN affiliate KMBC. “He was an amazing husband, father, brother and friend. Len was always grateful and many times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made throughout his football plus broadcast careers.
“He loved Kansas Town and no matter where his travels had taken him, he could not really wait to return house. Linda wants to acknowledge and thank the wonderful team of doctors, nurses and support staff from KU Med who also showed tremendous amounts of love and compassion for Len. inch
Dawson guided the Chiefs to a surprise 23-7 win over the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings in Super Dish IV in 1970. He was 12-17 for 142 yards in the game and had been named the Most Valuable Player .
Drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957, the Alliance, Ohio indigenous threw for 28, 711 yards and 239 touchdowns throughout his 19-year profession with the Steelers, Cleveland Browns as well as the Dallas Texans exactly who later became the Chiefs. He was selected to six AFL All-Star games and one Pro Bowl. In 1962, he was named AFL Player of the 12 months.
Dawson won the particular AFL passing title four times but still holds the franchise’s career records intended for pass attempts (3, 696), completions (2, 115), passing back yards (28, 507) and touchdowns (237).
In 1987, Dawson was enshrined in the Pro Soccer Hall of Popularity.
“Len Dawson is associated with the Kansas Town Chiefs, ” Clark Hunt, Chiefs Chief and CEO said in a statement. “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 seem to had a bigger effect in shaping the business as we know it nowadays than Len Dawson did.
“I adored Len my entire life — first as a Corridor of Fame gamer on the field, plus later as he transitioned into a successful transmitting career. Throughout his remarkable career, Len made it a priority to give back to the community that he loved. The franchise has lost a genuine legend. Our thoughts and prayers head out to Linda and his family. ”
In 1966, Dawson began his broadcasting career while he had been still playing quarterback for the Chiefs to get a local Kansas Town radio and tv station. After retiring in 1975, this individual became an NBC color analyst. Whilst working for the NBC network, Dawson furthermore hosted HBO’s “Inside the NFL, inch the first NFL-related show to air upon cable, for twenty-four years.
For his “long-time exceptional contributions in order to radio and television in professional soccer, ” Dawson has been awarded the Professional Football Hall associated with Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award in 2012, becoming the third individual in professional football history to be inducted into the Pro Soccer Hall of Popularity as a player and a broadcaster, joining Lalu Dierdorf and Frank Gifford.
In college, Dawson was a three-year beginner for the Purdue Boilermakers where he ended their career as the school’s leader in transferring yards and landing passes.