Legendary Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Kansas City Broadcaster, Len Dawson has died. He was 87 years old. For decades Len Dawson was the cornerstone of Kansas City’s favorite football team, leading the Chiefs to the team’s first Super Bowl in 1967 and the first Super Bowl win in 1970. After football, he would continue an award-winning career as a sports broadcaster at KMBC 9, on the radio and on network and cable television; but, it was his stardom on the field that Chiefs fans will never forget.
Dawson’s football career in Dallas and especially in Kansas City, took off. His pinpoint passes and quiet sense of command earned him the nickname “Lenny the cool”.
His success and the team’s success led to a matchup in the first Super Bowl against head coach, Vince Lombardi and the heavily favored Green Bay Packers. Dawson played well, but the packers were too much for the Chiefs in a 35 to 10 loss. On January 11th, 1970, the Chiefs were back, playing another heavily favored team from the NFL–the Minnesota Vikings and… as Coach Hank Stram said, “pump it in there Lenny! Just keep matriculating the ball down the field”. Dawson led the Chiefs to victory.
In an interview late in his life, Dawson had this to say:
Yes it has, Lenny… yes it has… you rest in peace.
