Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time: No. 17: Len Dawson

In selecting the 25 greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, I took into account QB stats, accolades (Pro Bowls, All-Pro selections, Offensive Player of the Year honors, MVP's, etc.), as well as regular season and postseason success--making note of the era each signal caller played in and how the game operated at that time. Quarterbacks In this post, I depict the career of Len Dawson, the 17th greatest quarterback in NFL history.
17. Len Dawson

Pittsburgh Steelers, 1957-1959; Cleveland Browns, 1960-1961; Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs, 1962-1975

Note: The AFL’s Dallas Texans (1960-1962) moved their franchise to Kansas City following the 1962 season, where they became the Chiefs. The Chiefs joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger that occurred prior to the 1970 NFL season.

Also Note: The AFL (1960-1969) and NFL each had their own respective championships from 1960-1965. However, for the 1966-1969 seasons—and their subsequent playoffs the following January—the AFL conference champion battled the NFL conference champion in an AFL-NFL World Championship Game. This was created so that there would only be one champion per year as the two leagues prepared for their agreed-upon merger beginning in 1970. These four AFL-NFL World Championships eventually became known as the first four Super Bowls—Super Bowl I, Super Bowl II, Super Bowl III, and Super Bowl IV.

A first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1957 NFL Draft, Len Dawson never managed to make an impact in any of his first five seasons. He started one game in his rookie year with the Steelers, before riding the pine the next two years behind Hall of Famer Bobby Lane—who the Pittsburgh acquired before the start of the 1958 season. Dawson was traded to the Cleveland Browns prior to the 1960 season. He started just one game in two seasons with the Browns. Dawson was released by Cleveland following the 1961 season, having completed only 21 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns in his five seasons of NFL play.

            Dawson’s career turned around after signing with the AFL’s Dallas Texans. In his first year with the team, Dawson steered the Texans to 11 wins, firing 29 TD’s versus 17 interceptions with a league-best 61 percent completion rate and 98.3 passer rating. Crowned the AFL’s 1962 MVP, Dawson spearheaded the Texans to their first AFL title in an exhilarating double-overtime victory over the Houston Oilers.

            Despite winning the championship, the franchise moved to Kansas City, where they became known as the Chiefs. The inaugural season (1963) in K.C. was a disappointment—the Chiefs went 5-7-2 and missed the playoffs.

            The Chiefs went .500 in the ensuing season as Dawson led the AFL in passing for the second time in three years, posting another potent touchdown-interception ratio (30-18). 

            Kansas City missed the playoffs again in 1965, even with Dawson leading the league in completion percentage, TD passes and passer rating.

            The Chiefs rebounded in 1966. The team finished 11-2-1 as Dawson was named to the AP First Team All-AFL for the first time in four years. After defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFL conference championship game, the Chiefs went on to play in the first-ever AFL-NFL World Championship—later known as Super Bowl I. The Chiefs fell short in their title quest as the Green Bay Packers claimed the first Super Bowl victory, 35-10.

            Dawson earned AFL All-Star honors in each of the next three years. His most memorable season of the three came in 1969. Despite missing five games to what appeared to be a season-ending knee injury, Dawson and the Chiefs went 11-3 in the regular season and defeated the Oakland Raiders in the last-ever AFL Championship game. This time, the Chiefs were able to finish the job in the AFL-NFL Championship contest. In the fourth and final AFL-NFL Championship (Super Bowl IV), the Chiefs secured a 23-7 win over the heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. The Chiefs' victory squared the AFL-NFL Championship/Super Bowl series between the AFL and NFL at two games apiece. Dawson was named MVP of Super Bowl IV.

            The AFL-NFL merger transpired the next season. After a year absence from the postseason, Dawson led the Chiefs back into the playoffs in 1971. The veteran QB guided the Chiefs to a 10-3-1 record in the regular season, the second-best mark in the AFC. The Chiefs, however, were upset by the Miami Dolphins, 27-24, in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

           Dawson retired following the 1975 NFL season, capping off a 19-year career. The six-time AFL All-Star and 1971 NFL Pro Bowler completed a total of 2,136 passes for 28,711 yards and 239 touchdowns. Dawson also rushed for 1,293 yards in his lengthy career.