by After a 20-year NFL career, Phil Dawson has officially announced that he will retire from the game. The 44-year-old will return to Berea Friday afternoon to sign a contract to retire as a Cleveland Brown.
Hey CLE, looking forward to spending the weekend with y’all.
— Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4) August 1, 2019
Dawson played with the Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds a number of team records, such as most career field goals (305), most field goals in a season (30 in 2008) and most consecutive games with a field goal (23).
Dawson accumulated a total of 1,271 points for the Browns, which ranks second behind Lou Groza’s 1,349 points and he became the only Browns kicker to make a Pro Bowl during his final season donning the orange and brown.
“To have the opportunity to come back home and retire with the organization and the city that I love is incredibly meaningful to me,” Dawson said in a news release. “It only seems right to have the opportunity to do this with the fans that have been so good to me and my family.”
Dawson spent four years in San Francisco before playing the final two years with the Cardinals where he made 37 of 48 field goals. For his career, Dawson made 441 of 526 field-goal attempts, which ranks as the eight-most field goals made in league history.
“We are thrilled that Phil Dawson wanted to come back and retire as a Cleveland Brown,” owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “He epitomizes the characteristics that we look for in our players – hardworking, professional, consistent and he was a pillar in the community. He is a great example for all current and future Browns.”
