Len Dawson, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame both as a player and a broadcaster, has passed away at the age of 87, according to his family.
“With wife Linda at his side, it is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson,” KMBC in Kansas City, where Lawson had previously worked as a sports broadcaster, received a statement from the family.
“He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, and friend. Len was always grateful and many times overwhelmed by the countless bonds he made during his football and broadcast careers. He loved Kansas City and no matter where his travels took him, he could not wait to return home.”
How old is Len Dawson?
Len Dawson was 87 years old at the time of his demise. During his storied 14-year tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs, Dawson served as the franchise’s heart and soul. He helped the team become one of the top ones in professional football while also developing into one of the game’s best quarterbacks.
How did Len Dawson die?
Dawson had prostate cancer, which was discovered in 1991. His condition periodically deteriorated after the diagnosis. The start of Dawson’s hospice care was disclosed by his family on August 12, 2022. Dawson lost the fight after a protracted battle with aggressive prostate cancer, which resulted in his death.
“Linda wants to acknowledge and thank the wonderful team of doctors, nurses and support staff at KU Med who showed tremendous amounts of love and compassion for Len.”
Len Dawson family, parents, wife, daughter & son – who are they?
Dawson was born on June 20, 1935, the ninth of eleven children in the home of James and Annie Dawson in Alliance, Ohio, a blue-collar industrial town. He was a three-sport athlete at Alliance High School, setting records in football and basketball and earning a scholarship offer from Purdue.
Dawson had two children with Jackie, his high school sweetheart, and they were married from 1954 until her death in 1978. When Dawson entered hospice care, his second wife, Linda, stayed by his side.
What is Len Dawson net worth at the time of his death?
Len Dawson had a net worth of $10 million at the time of his passing, according to Celebrity Net Worth. This was accumulated over the course of his productive NFL and AFL career as a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kansas City Chiefs. After leaving the NFL in 1962, he played with the Chiefs of the American Football League (then known as the Dallas Texans) for 14 seasons.
What legacy did Len Dawson leave behind upon his death?
The native of Alliance, Ohio, was a standout at Purdue from 1953 to 1956. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him as the fifth overall choice in the 1957 NFL Draft. From 1957 to 1959, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers before being moved to the Cleveland Browns. He was a member of the Browns for five seasons.
Dawson would join with the American Football League’s Dallas Texans, who would eventually change their name to the Kansas City Chiefs. Dawson won the passing title four times while playing under head coach Hank Stram, and he made the league All-Star team six times.
In 1966, he took the team to the Super Bowl, where they fell victim to the Green Bay Packers. In 1969, Dawson led the Kansas City Chiefs to their fourth Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings. He was awarded the MVP of Super Bowl IV. Till the age of 40, Dawson was a Chiefs player.
Between his stint in the NFL and AFL, Dawson played in 211 games and accumulated 28,711 throwing yards and 239 touchdowns. In 1987, he was admitted to the Hall of Fame. Clark Hunt, the chairman of the Chiefs, expressed his “heartbreak” over Dawson’s passing.
“Len Dawson is synonymous with the Kansas City Chiefs. 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 had a bigger impact in shaping the organization as we know it today than Len Dawson did,” Hunt said in a statement.
“I admired Len my entire life — first as a Hall of Fame player on the field, and later as he transitioned into a successful broadcasting career. Throughout his remarkable career, Len made it a priority to give back to the community that he loved. The franchise has lost a true legend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Linda and his family.”
Why is he nicknamed ‘Lenny the cool’?
Due to his noticeable swagger when guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to their first Super Bowl victory, the late former quarterback Len Dawson earned the nickname “Lenny the Cool.”
