At long last, Phil Dawson will be inducted as a Browns legend in 2024

Dawson is one of the greatest NFL kickers of all time, and it is about time the Browns induct him as one of the team's legends
Christian Petersen/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

The only thing surprising about Phil Dawson being selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend is how it could take so long for this to happen. He’s not only one of the greatest Browns players of all time, but he is one of the best kickers in NFL history. His Browns legacy is only tarnished by the fact that he did not kick for championship teams so he did not get a chance to shine in the playoffs.

Dawson was the Browns kicker for 14 years. During that time, he missed 58 field goals and 8 extra points. He mastered the art of kicking in the wind, snow, ice, and rain of Cleveland Browns Stadium, turning it into a science that those who came after him have tried but could not emulate.

Phil Dawson will take his rightful place as a Cleveland Browns Legend in Week 3 during a halftime ceremony when the Browns host the New York Giants.

Every Browns fan has a Phil Dawson memory

Dawson kicked during the rough years when the Browns struggled yet he somehow managed to make memories for Browns fans young and old who got a chance to see him kick in person at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Accuracy is what makes a kicker great, and Dawson was among the best in the business year after year at making field goals and extra points.

His 2005, 2009, and 2012 seasons are among the most memorable. He missed two field goals each season, converting 27, 17, and 29 respectively in those years. He was named to his only Pro Bowl in 2012.

The Snow Bowl kicks on December 16, 2007 also are an outstanding part of Dawson's resume. Jim Donovan narrated what looked like impossible conditions to convert one kick, but Dawson made two on that fateful 2007 day. The Browns beat the Bills 8-0 with Dawson's field goals and a safety as the only points scored in those conditions.

Every time the Browns needed a kicker since Dawson left the team in 2012, there has always been an outcry to bring Dawson back. He is 49 years old, and many fans wish he was still kicking for the Browns.

Cleveland Browns Stadium will be rocking at halftime on September 22 to celebrate Dawson upon receiving this long-awaited honor.

More Browns coverage

feed