Hall of Fame Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson dies at 87

Hall of Fame Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson dies at 87

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson, whose unmistakable swagger inside helping the Kansas City Chiefs to their earliest Super Bowl title earned him the nickname "Lenny the Cool," died Wednesday. He was 87.

Dawson's family announced his demise inside a statement into with every one other accompanied by not here of KMBC, the Kansas City-based television stopping place where he starred inside his following career while a broadcaster. No spring was given, though Dawson had been inside declining health for years.

"With spouse Linda at his side, it is accompanied by a a large amount of sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson," the family's statement read. "He was a wonderful husband, father, male sibling casual broBritish casual bruvver accompanied by every one one other accompanied by friend. Len was always thankful accompanied by every one one other accompanied by numerous times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made all over his football accompanied by every one one other accompanied by transmit careers."

The MVP of the Chiefs' victory over the Vikings inside January 1970, Dawson had entered hospice protected from danger keeping on Aug. 12.

"Len Dawson is synonymous accompanied by the Kansas City Chiefs," owner Clark Hunt said inside a statement on Wednesday. "Len embraced accompanied by every one one other accompanied by came to embody Kansas City accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the people that call it home. You would exist hard-pressed to find a player who had a bigger impact inside shaping the organization while we know it today than Len Dawson did."

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Dawson personified the Chiefs almost from the start, when the suave standout from Purdue lost not here on starting jobs inside Pittsburgh accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Cleveland accompanied by every one one other accompanied by landed accompanied by the nascent franchise, at that hour dated located inside Dallas. There, Dawson reunited accompanied by Hank Stram, who had been an subordinate accompanied by the Boilermakers, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by accompanied by every one one other they forever changed the franchise.

The bus accompanied by every one one other accompanied by quarterback won the AFL championship accompanied by every one one other inside 1962, their earliest year together, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by became bona fide stars the following year, when club originator Lamar Hunt moved the team to Kansas City accompanied by every one one other accompanied by rechristened it the Chiefs.

They proceeded to go nearer earliest inside place of set of two additional AFL titles, one inside 1966 when they lost to the Packers inside the earliest Super Bowl, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the other inside '69, when Dawson came spine from an wound to assist hit the Vikings at Tulane Stadium inside New Orleans.

"Looking spine on my career, I've been blessed for what I had the chance to do," Dawson said told The Associated Press inside 2017, inside a short hour dated following he announced his retirement from his following career while a Hall of Fame broadcaster. "I could not have accomplished so a a large amount of lacking my teammates accompanied by every one one other accompanied by colleagues, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by I'm thankful for every one one of them."

Dawson always remained a beloved figure inside Kansas City, flat though he gash spine on condition appearances some years ago when his health began to fail. But he always had hour dated for fans, whether a photograph or signature, the latter regularly on an iconic black-and-white photo from halftime of that earliest Super Bowl: The exhausted quarterback, white continual caked accompanied by mud, sitting on a folding chair accompanied by a cig inside his mouth accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a bottle of Fresca at his feet.

It superbly captured a hour dated accompanied by every one one other accompanied by place. And it superbly captured a male that embodied poise accompanied by every one one other accompanied by self-assurance.

Dawson was born June 20, 1935, the ninth of 11 children that filled the house of James accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Annie Dawson inside the blue-collar manufacturing town of Alliance, Ohio. He was a three-sport sportswoman at Alliance High School, setting records inside both football accompanied by every one one other accompanied by basketball, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by turned his favourable consequence on the gridiron into a scholarship provide from Purdue.

He led the NCAA inside passing efficiency while a sophomore while excessively playing defence accompanied by every one one other accompanied by kicking, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by helped lead a memorable upset of Notre Dame all over that 1954 season. By the extremity of his college career, Dawson had thrown for additional than 3,000 yards, inside malice of playing inside an epoch that favored ground-and-pound football.

Dawson was chosen by the Steelers inside the earliest circular of the 1957 draft, nevertheless he wound up riding the bench behind Earl Morrall while a rookie accompanied by every one one other accompanied by at that hour dated failed to hit not here Bobby Layne for he starting position of position of employment the following season. The Steelers ultimately traded him to the Browns, where Dawson was unable to hit not here Milt Plum for the position of position of employment accompanied by every one one other accompanied by was released.

One of the great disappointments of Dawson's career wound up accompanied by a positive outcome.

With newfound freedom to sign anywhere, Dawson jumped to the upstart AFL accompanied by every one one other accompanied by the Texans, lured inside small part by the chance to amuse oneself for one of his elderly coaches at Purdue. Stram was intelligent to eventually tap into his talent, helping Dawson to fast become one of the league's prolific passers while the Texans went 11-3 accompanied by every one one other accompanied by won the earliest of trio championships.

The following came inside 1966, when Dawson led the Chiefs to an 11-2-1 record accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a 31-7 blowout of the Bills inside the AFL title game. That earned the Chiefs the chance to face the powerhouse Green Bay Packers — accompanied by every one one other accompanied by bus Vince Lombardi — inside the inaugural Super Bowl, where Dawson threw for 210 yards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a touchdown inside a 35-10 defeat.

It was the 1969 hour dated that proved to exist the most memorable of Dawson's career, though. He sustained a solemn knee wound opposed to the Patriots inside Week 2, forcing him to fail to hit the following five games. But he went on a tear on one instance spine on the field. Dawson led the Chiefs to victories over the defending champion Jets accompanied by every one one other accompanied by sharp competitor Raiders to stretch not here what would exist the final Super Bowl earlier to the AFL-NFL merger, where he threw for 142 yards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a consequence inside a 23-7 triumph.

"It was overwhelming," Dawson said afterward. "It's just, you know how that reassurance comes accompanied by you know it's over with, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by we've been successful? That's the be in touch that I had when I came off the field."

Dawson played sextet additional seasons inside Kansas City, setting numerous franchise records that stood until a youngster named Patrick Mahomes came along, earlier to hanging up his helmet following the 1975 season.

Along the way, Dawson parlayed what began while a publicity stunt into a following career inside broadcasting.

In 1966, then-Chiefs general administrative Jack Steadman wanted to hit up support for the franchise inside Kansas City accompanied by every one one other accompanied by convinced Dawson to anchor a sports small part on the nightly news. His natural charisma accompanied by every one one other accompanied by folksy way made Dawson a natural. He turned his watching to TV accompanied by every one one other accompanied by radio on a full-time footing following his playing career ended.

Dawson worked inside local TV for some decades, adding game analysis for NBC from 1977-82 accompanied by every one one other accompanied by hosting HBO's iconic "Inside the NFL" from 1977-2001. He excessively served additional than trio decades on the Chiefs' radio transmit team.

After going into the Hall of Fame while a player inside 1987, Dawson was inducted while a broadcaster inside 2012.

"It's been a correct privilege accompanied by every one one other accompanied by integrity to have Len at the center of our transmit team for the last 33 years," said Dan Israel, the administrative manufacturer of the Chiefs' radio network, upon his retirement a few years ago. "His contributions to not only this sport, nevertheless our industry, are incredibly profound."

Dawson was married to his high educational organization sweetheart, Jackie, from 1954 until her demise inside 1978, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by accompanied by every one one other they had place of set of two children. His following wife, Linda, remained by his side while Dawson entered hospice care.

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Hall of Fame Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson dies at 87