So he can retire from the NFL a Brown.
Dawson announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday, concluding a 21-year career that began in Cleveland prior to the 1999 season.
“To have the opportunity to come back home and retire with the organization and the city that I love is incredibly meaningful to me,” Dawson said. “It only seems right to have the opportunity to do this with the fans that have been so good to me and my family.”
Dawson appeared in 305 career games, which ranks seventh all-time in NFL history. He ranks eighth all-time in field goals made with 441. His 1,847 points scored ranks 11th and he is 16th in field goal percentage – 83.8 – in NFL history.
“We are thrilled that Phil Dawson wanted to come back and retire as a Cleveland Brown,” owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “He epitomizes the characteristics that we look for in our players – hardworking, professional, consistent and he was a pillar in the community. He is a great example for all current and future Browns.”
Two of Dawson’s most memorable kicks came during the 2007 season that saw the team go 10-6 but miss the playoffs. At Baltimore on Nov. 18 Dawson hit the stanchion at the end of regulation and officials ruled the kick no good, but replay showed the ball go past the crossbar and they reversed the call to force overtime. The Browns won 33-30.
The following month on Dec. 16 Dawson hit a 48-yard boomerang shot in a blizzard to help beat the Bills 8-0.
Dawson, who won the kicking job in training camp back in 1999, holds franchise records for the most career field goals (305), highest career field goal percentage (84.0), most field goals in a season (30 in 2008), highest field goal percentage in a season (93.5 in 2012), field goals in a game (six on Nov. 5, 2006), most consecutive field goals made (29) and most consecutive games with a field goal (23).
He scored 1,271 points with Cleveland, the second most by a Brown in history, and his 215 games are the third-most by a Browns player. In 2012, Dawson became the only Browns kicker selected to the Pro Bowl (Lou Groza was selected as a tackle).
Dawson was voted a team captain multiple years by his teammates.
He was voted the 2012 Browns Player of the Year by the local PFWA chapter, the 2007 Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy” Award honoree by the PFWA, the 2006 Ed Block Courage Award winner by his teammates and the 2006 winner of the Doug Dieken Humanitarian Award for his charitable and community efforts.
Dawson, who played collegiately at the University of Texas, also played for San Francisco (2013-16) and Arizona (2017-18).