KANSAS CITY – Len Dawson, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to its first Super Bowl win and who held a decades-long broadcasting career in Kansas City, has died at the age of 87.
The Dawson family issued this statement: "With wife Linda at his side, it is with much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Len Dawson. 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."
In 1966, Dawson was named sports director at KMBC 9, our reporting partner – a second career he started while still playing for the Chiefs and setting franchise records.
In addition to his work at KMBC 9, Dawson was a game analyst for NBC and the Chiefs' radio network and hosted HBO's "Inside the NFL" show.
Here is more from KMBC 9 on Lenny the Cool:
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 always thought the Chiefs would return to the Super Bowl, but it never happened during his career. And at age 41, in 1976, Dawson retired from playing.
"I am the seventh son of a seventh son. And all my life they said, 'Hey, that's great. That's good luck,'" Dawson said in 1987 as he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "The people of Kansas City, for those of you who don't know those folks, it's some kind of town."
And Kansas City loved him back.
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Born and raised in Alliance, Ohio, Purdue University was next.
"I went to Purdue University for two reasons: One, it's a great university and secondly, their offense threw the football," Dawson said in an interview about his career.
His coach at Purdue was the legendary Hank Stram, who would later become instrumental in his success as a pro. But his NFL career began with some rather unremarkable seasons in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
Then along came the American Football League. The Dallas Texans would then move to Kansas City and Hank Stram was the head coach.
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.
"I think the Kansas City team is a real tough football team, but it doesn't compare with the National Football League teams," Lombardi said at the time.
Dawson took issue with that.
"Ticked me off," he said, looking back. "Ticked all of us off, so we wanted another opportunity, and, fortunately, in Super Bowl 4 against the Minnesota Vikings," the team got it.
On Jan. 11, 1970, the Chiefs were back, playing another heavily favored team from the NFL — the Minnesota Vikings.
Once again, Dawson played well completing six of his first seven passes in the game.
"Pump it in there, baby. Just keep matriculating the ball down the field boys," Stram said during the championship in a now-legendary clip from the game.
A steady Chiefs offense and a stingy Chiefs defense put Kansas City ahead at halftime. But the Chiefs blew the game wide open in the third quarter when Dawson hit Otis Taylor on this 46-yard touchdown pass.
Dawson was named the most valuable player of Super Bowl 4.
"It was overwhelming," Dawson said. "It's just, you know how that relief comes with, you know it's over with, and we've been successful. That's the feeling that I had when I came off the field. Got back to Kansas City for the parade. Now that's another story."