“With Ms. Linda by his side, it is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson,” the Dawson family said in a statement to CNN affiliate KMBC. “He was a wonderful husband, father, brother and friend. Len has always been grateful and often overwhelmed by the countless connections he has made throughout his football and broadcasting careers.
“He loved Kansas City and wherever his travels took him, he couldn’t wait to return home. Linda would like to acknowledge and thank the wonderful team of doctors, nurses and support staff at KU Med who have shown tremendous love and compassion for len.”
Dawson won the AFL passing title four times and still holds the franchise’s career records for passing attempts (3,696), completions (2,115), passing yards (28,507), and touchdowns (237).
In 1987, Dawson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Len Dawson is synonymous with the Kansas City Chiefs,” Clark Hunt, chairman and CEO of the Chiefs, said in a statement. “Len embraced Kansas City and embodied Kansas City and the people who call it home.
“I’ve admired Len all my life – first as a Hall of Famer on the field and later as he transitioned into a successful broadcast career. Throughout his remarkable career, Len made giving back to the community he loved a priority. The franchise has lost a true legend. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Linda and his family.”
In 1966, Dawson began his broadcasting career while playing quarterback for the Chiefs for a local Kansas City radio and television station. After retiring in 1975, he became an NBC color analyst. While working for the NBC network, Dawson also hosted HBO’s Inside the NFL, the first NFL-related show to air on cable in 24 years.
For his “longstanding of outstanding contributions to radio and television in professional football,” Dawson was honored with the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award, becoming the third person in professional football history to be inducted into pro football Hall of Fame as a player and broadcaster, along with Dan Dierdorf and Frank Gifford.
In college, Dawson was a three-year starter for the Purdue Boilermakers, where he finished his career as director of the passing yards and touchdown school.