PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME MEMBER

#16 Len Dawson - QB

Len Dawson Career NFL Stats 1957-1975
G
GS
REC
COMP
ATT
COMP %
YARDS
TD
INT
RATT
RYDS
YPR
RTD
211
159
94-57-8
2,136
3,741
57.1
28,711
239
183
294
1,293
4.4
9
 

 

Leonard Ray Dawson was born on June 20, 1935 in Alliance, OH. He is the son of Annie and James Dawson. Len’s passion for sports started at a young age and at home. From the age of ten, Len learned how to play all three major sports from his older brothers. The early learning paid off as he was ahead of some of the other kids he competed with.

 

 

Dawson attended Alliance High School. He was a multi-sport star in both basketball and football. In fact he was a First Team All-State selection in both sports. Dawson accepted a scholarship to play for Purdue University.

 

Len Dawson College Career Stats and Notes

Dawson played for Purdue from 1954-56. He threw for 3,225 yards, 29 TDs and 32 INTs and completed 243 of 452 passes (53.8%) during his college career. Dawson was an All-Big Ten and All-American selection as well.

 

Awards and Achievements
MVP
All-Pro

 

Pro Bowl Selections
1971
Passing Yards Title:
Achievements

Super Bowl Champion

IV

Super Bowl MVP

IV

 

 

Len Dawson NFL Career Stats and Notes

Dawson was selected 5th overall in the 1957 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent three years with the Steelers before joining the Cleveland Browns in 1960. In 1962, Dawson left the NFL and signed with the AFLs Dallas Texans.  Dawson spent the rest of his career with the franchise, which became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963. After the 1975 season he retired from football. Dawson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

 

Len Dawson Super Bowl IV MVP Performance

Dawson and the Chief found themselves back in the Super Bowl three years after their 35-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I. With the AFL trying to compete with the NFL, the Super Bowl was the ultimate stage for both leagues to show who was the best. After the shocking Super Bowl III win by the New York Jets over the Baltimore Colts, the AFL finally broke through. This time around Dawson and the Chiefs wanted to avenge their loss and keep the momentum going for the AFL.

The Chiefs prevailed 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. Dawson managed the game well, going 12 for 17, 142 yards and 1 TD. He was named Super Bowl MVP. The Super Bowl win was huge for Kansas City and historic as well as it would become the last championship game with teams from two different leagues.  Later that year, the NFL and AFL merged to form the modern-day NFL.

 

 

List of Pro Football Hall of Fame Members