Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Who do you think was the better QB and why?

Namath was the better thrower with more natural talent, Dawson had the better career, due to better surrounding talent on both sides of the ball. Both owe their careers to championship wins in 1968,1969 and 70, though Dawson was an AFL champion previously, when most people didnt care.

Its still hard to believe that Keisling, Parker and Brown couldnt develop Dawson better but with his cool, mental approach, maybe they didnt feel he was as competitive as they wanted him to be?
Stram deserves credit for building his KC team around his many strengths.

I'm trying to picture Len with a fu Manchu and wearing a fur coat. Doesn't compute.

I remember Dawson and Bart Starr from the '60s as basically being automatons. All they did was win. No color or flash, just win. It's funny, though, their coaches--Stram and Saint Vince---were animated as hell.

I remember around 1969 reading that Joe Namath referred to Len Dawson as an "NFL Style Quarterback." This supposedly meant throwing a lot of short passes to the backs and other receivers resulting in a high completion percentage.

Namath threw downfield and claimed not to care about his percentage, according to Broadway Joe.

Both were great in their own way but Dawson should have been named the All-AFL decade QB over Joe.

Yeah, that was what I liked about the AFL---Lamonica, Hadl, Namath throwing downfield a lot. They'd be throwing for 3,000 yards w/ a 48% comp % and 25 interceptions. Bombs away!

That said, I agree that Dawson should've been the All-Decade QB. Three AFL titles and a Super Bowl win, so he earned it. But then Joe had the style, the SB win over the Colts, and the first 4,000-yd season.

Unlike the gambler in Namath, Dawson protected the football better ... but with his arm, Namath helped force more nickel and dime defensive coverage.

Len also left the game with prettier knees than Joe.

Maybe that's why Joe wore pantyhose in that one magazine photo shoot.

Dawson never had Suzi Storm or Rachel Welch though ...

Also Namath didn't fumble much