Dawson, "Lenny" (Leonard R.)
Football
b. June 20, 1935, Alliance, OH
As a 19-year-old sophomore at Purdue in 1954, Dawson threw 3 touchdown passes, kicked 3 extra points, and intercepted a pass in a 27-10 victory over Notre Dame, the only game the Irish lost that year. During his three years as a starting quarterback, he passed for 3,325 yards.
Dawson joined the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers in 1957, then went to the Cleveland Browns in 1960. After 5 seasons in the NFL, he had attempted only 45 passes in regular season play. The Browns released him before the 1962 season and he went to the Dallas Texans of the American Football League.
Under Coach Hank Stram, a guru of the passing game, Dawson suddenly became a great quarterback. He was named the AFL's player of the year by The Sporting News after his first season, when he won the passing championship and led the league in completion percentage, 61.0, and touchdown passes, 29. The Texans became the Kansas City Chiefs in 1963 and Dawson was Kansas City's starting quarterback for 13 more seasons.
He won AFL passing titles in 1964, 1966, 1968, led in completion percentage 6 years in a row, from 1964 through 1969, and led in touchdown passes in 1963, 1965, and 1966. He was named the most valuable player in Super Bowl IV, after the 1969 season, when he completed 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards and 1 touchdown in Kansas City's 23-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Dawson retired after the 1975 season. He completed 2,136 passes in 3,741 attempts for 28,711 yards and 252 touchdowns during his professional career. He also ran for 9 touchdowns.