Infamous Cigarette Photo Taken by Len Dawson During the 1967 Super Bowl; His Net Worth at the Time of His Death

Infamous cigarette photo taken by Len Dawson during the 1967 Super Bowl; His net worth at the time of his death

The now famous photo of Len Dawson smoking a cigarette is fast becoming one of the most shared images on the internet following news of the football icon’s passing. The photograph, which was taken in 1967, was hidden from the general public for many years until it was revealed in 2013.

Len Dawson was an American football player who retired after a professional career that spanned from 1957 to 1976.

For most of his career, which spanned 19 seasons in the National Football League, he was heavily associated with the Kansas City Chiefs. After Len’s retirement from professional football, he pursued a career in broadcasting and began working as a broadcaster for KMBC-TV in Kansas. There he hosted a nightly show for several years before finally quitting in 2009. In his later years, Len only reported when the Kansas City Chiefs were playing or when asked to replace another journalist.

The legendary footballer recently passed away at the age of 87. He is survived by his devoted wife, Linda Louise, and their two children. The specific reasons for Dawson’s death are not known at this time; nevertheless, given his age, netizens believe he died of natural causes.

Explanation of the famous cigarette photo taken by Len Dawson during the 1967 Super Bowl

In a photo that recently became popular on social media, former quarterback Len Dawson can be seen puffing on a cigarette at halftime during Super Bowl I in 1967. The game took place in 1967 .

In the photo, Len is shown relaxing in a folding chair while drinking Fresca and smoking a cigarette. Under his legs he has a bottle of soda.

On January 15, 1967, photographer Bill Ray took the image; however, due to Life magazine choosing not to publish it, the image was kept secret for many years.

The original agreement stated that the photograph could only be released into the public domain if Len’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, were to win over the Green Bay Packers. However, after the Chiefs lost the Super Bowl in 1967, Bill Ray’s personal gallery was the only place the photograph could be found.

The photograph was eventually published in 2013 and can be viewed on Ray’s website today. Due to the fact that it illustrates how lax regulations were, it is considered one of the most iconic photos in NFL history. Moreover, it continues to have huge popularity on the internet, despite the fact that a storyline like this could never be staged in the 21st century due to the strict regulations governing the industry.

What Was Len Dawson’s Net Worth When He Died? : How wealthy was the NFL legend?

According to CelebrityNetWorth estimates from the year 2022, Len Dawson’s wealth is estimated to be around $10 million.

The former footballer had a long and successful career in sports broadcasting which earned him a decent income.

While in the National Football League, Len played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1957–1959), Cleveland Browns (1960–1961), and Kansas City Chiefs (1962–1963). (1962-1975). Dawson continued his career as a sportscaster for KMBC-TV in Kansas after retiring from football. KMBC-TV is located in Kansas.

Returning to the subject of Len’s wealth, he provided his wife and children with an inheritance worth millions of dollars. He was a devoted husband to Linda Louise and a loving father to her two children, Len Dawson Jr. and Lisa Anne Dawson. He was also a devoted friend of Linda Louise.

Early life of Len Dawson

Dawson was the ninth of 11 children born to James Dawson, from Ohio, and Annie Dawson, from England. He received his high school education at Alliance High School in Alliance, Ohio. He was the football team’s most valuable player and was recognized by the International News Service as Ohio’s Best Fullback for the year. Dawson, a multi-sport athlete, not only broke school records in football and basketball, but was also the only athlete in the past 13 years to be named to the All-State First Team in both sports during of the same year. Dawson has competed in all three sports.

Academic career of Len Dawson

During Dawson’s recruiting process, he was offered the opportunity to attend either Ohio State University in Columbus or Purdue University in Indiana. Despite being reluctant to take over Woody Hayes’ split-T attack with the Buckeyes, the real reason he chose Purdue was because of the rapport he had established with assistant coach Hank Stram, who was the start of a friendship. which will last more than half a century.

In 1954, Dawson’s first year as a quarterback for the Boilermakers, he was the NCAA’s most effective passer as a sophomore. Along with playing defense and kicking for the team, he also led the NCAA in throwing efficiency. After leading his team to a 31-0 win over Missouri, in which he threw four touchdown passes behind a strong offensive line, he then staged a big upset victory over Notre Dame, who entered the game. on a winning run of 13 games before. Gambling.

Dawson rushed for over 3,000 yards in each of his three seasons (1954-56) with the Boilermakers and as a result, he led the Big Ten Conference in that stat in each of those years. During the 1956 campaign, he was honored with a spot on the All-Americans’ Third Team. During the 1955 and 1956 seasons, he was a first-team All-Big Ten Quarterback selection.

Dawson underwent the initiation process to become a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity while a student at Purdue.

PERSONAL LIFE AND DEATH

Dawson was the seventh son of a seventh son, born the ninth of 11 children in total. He was married to his high school girlfriend from 1954 until her death in 1978. He has two children. He remarried Linda Dawson, with whom he remained until his death.

In 1991, Dawson was diagnosed with prostate cancer.