Leonard Ray Dawson was an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs franchise. After playing college football at Purdue, Dawson began his professional career with the NFL in 1957, spending three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and two with the Cleveland Browns. He left the NFL in 1962 to sign with the AFL's Chiefs, where he spent the last 14 seasons of his career, and rejoined the NFL after the AFL–NFL merger.
Dawson with the Chiefs in 1975
Dawson versus Wisconsin, 1956
Dawson (center) being tackled by the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, January 1967
Dawson's #16 jersey exhibited at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The Chiefs under Marty Schottenheimer had the second highest regular season winning percentage (.646) in the NFL during the 1990s.
As one of the league's top backs, in 2003 Priest Holmes set the NFL rushing touchdown record (27) for a running back in a season.
10x All-Pro Tony Gonzalez has the most receptions (1,325) and receiving yards (15,127) in NFL history for a tight end.
Jamaal Charles averaged 5.4 yards per carry during his career which is an NFL record for a running back.