Purdue announced the passing of  Len Dawson – Boilermaker legend and Hall of Fame quarterback – early Wednesday morning. He was 87 years old at the time.

Dawson played for Purdue from 1953-56 and was a key performer on the 1956 Boilermaker squad. He threw for 856 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Following his career at Purdue, Dawson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the No. 5 pick in the 1957 NFL Draft. He played for 3 teams during his NFL career, including a long stint for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Dawson led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl IV win over the Minnesota Vikings, winning Super Bowl MVP in the process. During the 1964 NFL season, Dawson set the Chiefs’ single-season record for passing touchdowns with 30, a record that stood until Patrick Mahomes came on the scene in 2018.

Following his playing career, Dawson served as a longtime broadcaster, including his time as a color analyst for Kansas City’s radio broadcast team from 1985-2017. During his final season with the broadcast, the Chiefs officially named their broadcast booth at Arrowhead Stadium in Dawson’s honor.

Rest in peace to a true legend and forever Boilermaker.