Phil Dawson life and biography

Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League.

Career Transactions
Originally signed by Oakland as an undrafted free agent on April 24, 1998…Waived by Oakland on August 18, 1998…Claimed by New England off waivers on August 21, 1998…Waived by New England on August 30, 1998…Signed by New England to practice squad on August 31, 1998…Signed by Cleveland as a free agent on March 25, 1999.

Career Highlights
Ranks as the franchise leader in field goal percentage with 82.8% (212-256) and ranks seventh all-time in NFL history in accuracy entering 2009…Ranks third in franchise history with 897 career points (Lou Groza, 1,349; Don Cockroft, 1,080).

2009
A co-captain on special teams, played in 11 games and connected on 17-19 field goals (long of 49) and 18-19 PATs for a team-high 69 points… Had one successful onside kick… Was inactive for five games with a right calf injury. Game 1 vs. Minnesota 9/13: Converted 2-2 PAT and 2-2 FG for eight points…Reached the 900-point plateau in his career as he connected on a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter… His eight points on the game put him at 905 career points… Game 2 at Denver 9/20: Converted field goals of 22 and 47 yards…His 47-yarder with 1:49 remaining in the first quarter was the 216th field goal of his career, tying him with Don Cockroft for second on the Browns’ all-time list… Game 3 at Baltimore 9/27: Was inactive with a right calf injury… Game 4 vs. Cincinnati 10/4: Was inactive with a right calf injury… Game 5 at Buffalo 10/11: Was inactive with a right calf injury… Game 6 at Pittsburgh 10/18: Was inactive with a right calf injury… Game 7 vs. Green Bay 10/25: Was inactive with a right calf injury… Game 8 at Chicago 11/1: In first game back since Week 2, did not attempt any field goals and had his only PAT blocked… Game 9 vs. Baltimore 11/16: Did not attempt any field goals or PATs… Game 10 at Detroit 11/22: Connected on both field goal attempts (44, 29) and three PATs… His 44-yarder on the game’s opening drive was the 217th of his career as he moved past Don Cockroft into sole possession of second on the Browns’ all-time list… Also completed a 10-yard pass to Mike Furrey out of field goal formation, the first pass attempt of his career… Game 11 at Cincinnati 11/29: Did not attempt any field goals and converted his only PAT… Game 12 vs. San Diego 12/6: Was one of two on field goals, as he hit a season-long 49-yarder with 39 seconds to play in the game, while missing wide left on a 43-yard attempt, his first miss of the season… Also converted both PATs and was one of two on onside kick attempts… Game 13 vs. Pittsburgh 12/10: Converted both field goal attempts, each of which was from 29 yards out, and his only PAT… Steelers returned his four kickoffs for an 11.0-yard average… Game 14 at Kansas City 12/20: Hit on 2 of 3 field goals, connecting from 47 and 30 yards away… Came up just short on a 52-yard attempt… Converted all five PATs for a season-high 11 points… Game 15 vs. Oakland 12/27: Connected on all three field goal attempts (42, 33, 34) and both PATs for 11 points, a figure which tied a season best… Game 16 vs. Jacksonville 1/3: Converted all three field goal attempts, from 27, 21 and 33 yards out, in addition to both PATs… Equaled a season-high with 11 points.

2008
Game 1 vs. Dallas 9/7: Converted 1-1 PAT and 1-1 FG for 4 points…In the 4th quarter, capped a 10 play, 70 yard (5:25) drive with a 34-yard FG to cut the deficit, 28-10…Also handled kickoffs with 1-3 kickoffs 70 yards or more…Game 2 vs. Pittsburgh 9/14: Converted 2-2 FG for 6 points…In the 3rd quarter, capped a 12 play, 67 yard (6:33) drive with a 31-yard FG to cut the deficit, 10-3…In the 4th quarter, capped a 14 play, 60 yard (7:29) drive with a 38-yard FG to cut the deficit, 10-6…Game 3 at Baltimore 9/21: Converted 1-1 PAT and 1-1 FG for 4 points…With a PAT in the 2nd quarter reached the 800 point plateau in his NFL career…In the 2nd quarter, capped a 13 play, 55 yard (5:36) drive with a 38 yard FG to open a 10-7 lead before the half…Game 4 at Cincinnati 9/28: Converted 2-2 FG and 2-2 PAT for 8 points…In the 1st quarter, capped an 8 play, 60 yard (4:05) drive with a 25-yard FG to open an early 3-0 lead…Late in the 4th quarter, converted a 29 yard FG to open a 20-12 lead…Also handled kickoffs with 3-5 kickoffs 70 yards or more…Added 1 pooch punt for 33 yards and 1 In20…Game 5 vs. N.Y. Giants 10/13: Converted 2-3 FG and 3-3 PAT for 9 points…In the 1st quarter, capped a 9 play, 69 yard (4:52) with a 28 yard FG to open a 3-0 lead…Missed wide left on a 51 yard attempt late in the 1st quarter…In the 3rd quarter, capped a 6 play, 38 yard (2:53) drive with a 26 yard FG to open a 20-14 lead…Added 3 TB on kickoffs…Game 6 at Washington 10/19: Converted 1-2 FG for 3 points…In the 3rd quarter, capped a 10 play, 58 yard (4:47) drive with a 37 yard FG to cut the deficit, 7-3…Late in the 4th quarter, missed wide right on a career-long 54 yard FG attempt that would have tied the contest with 25 seconds remaining in regulation…Game 7 at Jacksonville 10/26: Converted 3-3 FG and 2-2 PAT for 11 points…Late in the 2nd quarter, capped a 5 play, 49 yard (1:47) drive with a 32 yard FG to open a 17-7 lead…In the 4th quarter, capped a 10 play, 77 yard (4:13) drive with a 20 yard FG to open a 20-17 lead…Also in the 4th stanza, converted a 42 yard FG to open a 23-17 lead…Game 8 vs. Baltimore 11/2: Converted 2-2 FG and 3-3 PAT for 9 points…In the 2nd quarter, capped an 11 play, 74 yard (5:39) drive with a 23 yard FG to tie the game, 10-10…At the end of the 2nd quarter, nailed a career-long 54 yard FG with seven seconds remaining to tie the contest, 13-13…The 54-yard attempt matched a career-long attempt (at Washington 10/19/08)…Game 9 vs. Denver 11/6: Converted 3-3 FG and 3-3 PAT for 12 points…In the 2nd quarter, capped an 11 play, 72 yard (3:30) drive with a 33 yard FG to open a 10-7 lead…Also in the 2nd stanza, capped an 8 play, 45 yard (4:39) drive with a 52 yard FG to open a 20-10 lead…The 52 yard FG marked the second consecutive week to convert a 50+ yard FG attempt (54 yard FG previous week) to mark the first time in his career and first time since 1991 (Matt Stover)…In the 3rd quarter, capped a 10 play, 64 yard (4:39) drive with a 33 yard FG to open a 23-10 lead…Game 10 at Buffalo 11/17: Converted 5-5 FG and 2-2 PAT for 17 points and kicked a career-long 56 yard FG with 1:39 remaining for a 29-27 road victory…The game winning kick marked the 11th of his career…Played in his 150th career game…In the 1st quarter, capped a 6 play, 26 yard (2:11) drive with a 40 yard FG to open a 3-0 lead, and the field goal marked the 200th of his career…In the 1st quarter, also nailed a 33 yard FG to open a 6-0 lead…In the 3rd quarter, capped a 9 play, 37 yard (4:20) drive with a 43 yard FG to open a 16-10 lead…In the 4th quarter, capped a 9 play, 52 yard (3:01) drive with a 22 yard FG to open a 26-20 lead…Late in the 4th quarter, capped the 7 play, 28 yard (0:46) drive with the game-winning 56 yard FG for the 29-27 final…Game 11 vs. Houston 11/23: Converted 2-3 FG attempts for 6 points…In the 2nd quarter, capped a 12 play, 62 yard (5:38) drive with a 32 yard FG to cut the deficit, 10-3…Also in the 2nd stanza, nailed a 32 yard FG to cut the deficit, 10-6…In the 4th quarter, missed wide left on a 39 yard FG attempt…Game 12 vs. Indianapolis 11/30: Converted 2-3 FG for 6 points…In the 1st quarter, capped a 10 play, 30 yard (5:32) drive with a 34 yard FG to open a 3-0 lead…In the 2nd stanza, capped a 16 play, 66 yard (9:23) drive with a 25 yard FG to open a 6-3 lead…In the 3rd quarter, missed wide right on a 34 yard FG attempt…Game 13 at Tennessee 12/7: Converted 3-4 FG for 9 points…Increased his season total of 29 field goals made, which set a career-high and tied a franchise record (29, Matt Stover, 1995)…Topped the 100 point mark for the fifth time in his career and now has 104 points on the season…In the 1st quarter, capped a 7 play, 33 yard (3:02) drive with a 47 yard FG to open a 3-0 lead…Also in the 1st quarter, added a 41 yard FG to open a 6-0 lead…Missed wide right on a 44 yard attempt in the third stanza…In the 4th quarter, capped an 11 play, 24 yard (3:41) drive with a 39 yard FG to cut the deficit, 21-9…Game 14 at Philadelphia 12/15: Converted 1-1 FG and 1-1 PAT for 4 points…His FG increased his season total to 30 FG made and set a franchise single season record (29, Matt Stover, 1995)…In the 1st quarter, capped a 9 play, 63 yard (3:57) drive with a 27 yard FG to cut the deficit, 7-3…Game 15 vs. Cincinnati 12/21: Handled kickoff duties…Game 16 at Pittsburgh 12/28: Handled kickoff duties and missed wide left on a 53 yard field goal attempt in the first quarter.

College Highlights
Four-year letterman at Texas (1994-97)…Earned first-team All-America and All-Big 12 honors following senior season in 1997…Team captain his senior year…Was 9-of-15 from 50+ yards over collegiate career, including a career-long 53-yarder against Texas Tech as a junior…In 1996 as a junior, first team All-America by Pro Football Weekly, All-Big 12 after leading conference and finishing in the top 10 in the nation with 1.6 field goals per game…Hit 19-of-24 field goals and posted 108 points in 12 games…Also named Academic All-Southwest Conference in 1994 and 1995 and All-Academic Big 12 in 1996 and 1997…Earned a B.A. in political science.

Personal
Born in West Palm Beach, Fla., and attended Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas…In addition to placekicking duties in high school, also started at tackle…Named the 2007 Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy” Award by the local PFWA chapter, the 2006 Ed Block Courage Award winner and the 2006 winner of the Doug Dieken Humanitarian Award winner for his charitable and community efforts, as recognized by the Cleveland Touchdown Club…Phil’s wife, Shannon, is an accomplished singer who has sung the National Anthem prior to Browns home games, toured with Wayne Newton from 1992-94 and sang at George W. Bush’s Inauguration after being elected Governor of Texas (1994)…Teamed up with the Adoption Network to invite families who have recently adopted children to each home game during the 2008 season…The games served as one of the first family events for the newly formed families and was held in the ‘Family Zone’ of Cleveland Browns Stadium…Makes his year-round home in Westlake, Ohio, with his wife, Shannon, and sons, Dru and Beau, and daughter Sophiann.

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