Phil Dawson retired from the NFL after 21 seasons and will sign a ceremonial contract to hang up his cleats as a member of the Cleveland Browns.
“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 statement. “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 is seventh in NFL history with 305 regular-season games played and eighth all-time with 441 field goals. He’s 11th all-time with 1,847 career points.
He played four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers and the past two with the Arizona Cardinals since leaving Cleveland.
Dawson kicked for the Browns for 14 seasons, winning the job in training camp in 1999, the team’s first season back in the NFL after the franchise relocation to Baltimore.
He holds the team records for career field goals, career field-goal percentage, field goals in a season, field goals in a game, consecutive field goals made and most consecutive games with a field goal.
“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.”