Legendary Chiefs QB, Broadcaster Dawson Passes Away At 87

There are few players that transcend the game of football, and even fewer that go on to have an impactful career in the game following their time on the field.

Len Dawson was one of those rare people to accomplish that feat, as the legendary quarterback and Hall of Famer passed away Wednesday at the age of 87.

He was the longtime lone Super Bowl winning quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs prior to Patrick Mahomes bringing the team a title in 2019.

Getty Images

Dawson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, and is also a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame, and Purdue University's as well.

His impactful career was unique at the time, as he tossed 239 touchdowns and over 28,000 yards, and retired at the age of 40. He led the AFL in touchdown passes in four different seasons, and transcended the game to lead the league in passer rating 6 times in the span of 7 years.

Dawson had many strong seasons, but his most memorable came in 1969 when he rebounded from injury to guide the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl IV, and won MVP Honors.

After his retirement, Dawson couldn't quite give up the game of football. He began working locally for a TV station in Kansas City covering the Chiefs, and ultimately worked for HBO to host the show Inside the NFL among other ventures.

Dawson passed away at the age of 87.

Sources: Pro Football Talk and Len Dawson Wikipedia

Get our free mobile app

South Dakota Born NFL Players of this Century

While not a traditional powerhouse Nation Football League feeder, South Dakota has produces a fair number of football players that went on to the big time in the NFL.

Here are some that have played on various teams over the last couple of decades.

Source: Legendary Chiefs QB, Broadcaster Dawson Passes Away At 87