The Model Ship Blog

Chiefs Great Len Dawson

Posted by Kathy Perdue

The AFC’s Kansas City Chiefs have been playing professional football since 1963. IN actuality, the team was technically in existence three years prior to that, when it was known as the Dallas Texans, and – of course – located in Dallas. AS the Texans, the franchise was one of the founding members of the old AFL, and can now be found playing in the American Football Conference. No one would argue with the fact that the Chiefs’ past rosters included some of the true greats in football history. One of those great Kansas City players was Len Dawson, the Hall of Fame quarterback from Purdue University.

Len’s early career

Len Dawson played quarterback for the Purdue Boilermakers before going on to the professional level. When he was being recruited he had his choice of schools to attend, and both were attractive options. He ultimately settled on Purdue University rather than Ohio State because he had misgivings about being a part of the Buckeyes’ split-T system of offense. As it turned out, the Boilermakers were the perfect fit for Dawson. He went on to compile a three-year career of more than three thousand passing yards, and was the Conference’s top passer in each of his seasons in the Big Ten.

Finding a home in the Pros

Though he was a much anticipated rookie, Dawson failed to really find a home in either Pittsburgh or Cleveland. At the time, both had star quarterbacks, and Lenny was of little use to either team. When he was released in 1962, it provided him the opportunity to rejoin his old college coach who was then coaching the Dallas Texans. His initial campaign as the Texans starter resulted in winning the season touchdown titles, while also snaring the most yards per attempted pass. He was the AFL’s MVP that year, and cheerily followed the team as it moved the next year to its Kansas City home.

Home in the Chiefs jersey

With a rocket arm that honed in on targets like a laser, Dawson’s presence within the team’s “moving pocket” system enabled him to quickly become the AFL’s perennial passing leader. In 1966, he and his team performed so well that they became the first AFL representative to the inaugural Super Bowl. Facing the Green Bay Packers in that game – and the now legendary Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr – nobody gave the Chiefs much of a chance to win. It turned out those odds were correct as the Packers won the game going away. The game was not a total loss, however – Dawson at least played a competent game, GIVING Chiefs fans hope of great things to come.

Back to the Bowl

Just a few years later, Len Dawson and his Chiefs would redeem themselves as they played in and won Super Bowl IV. Without Lombardi, Starr, or the Packers to stop him – the opponent was instead the Vikings of Minnesota – Dawson emerged victorious, providing the Chiefs with what would eventually turn out to be the only Super Bowl win of the franchise. Though Joe Namath had shocked the world the year before by being the first AFL quarterback to win a Super Bowl, Dawson is now known as the man who showed that the AFC’s first win was not a fluke.

Freddie Brister is a huge fan of all sports and recommends checking out his Kansas City Chiefs Bedding and Kansas City Royals blanket at his shop.

Tags: NFL, sports, Sports & Recreation