Dawson attended Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas from 1989 to 1993 and was a letterman in football. As a senior, Dawson was a starter at both kicker and offensive tackle until hurting his knee in a preseason scrimmage. Dawson thought that he might have had to have season-ending surgery, but he gutted it out, stuck to kicking, and was named as an All-American and the Southwest Region Offensive Player of the Year by SuperPrep. In a 1992 playoff game at Texas Stadium against Nacogdoches High School, he kicked a 52-yard field goal as time expired to beat Nacogdoches 31–28 and Lake Highlands went as far as the Regional quarterfinals where they lost to Temple.[1]
After redshirting his freshman year, Dawson scored 80 points and went a perfect 38 for 38 on extra points, the 2nd most in a single season without missing in school history at the time. He continued his streak into his sophomore year and tied a school record with 54 consecutive extra points made. He also had 14 consecutive made field goals, the 2nd most for a freshman in school history. Early in the season, he kicked his first of 9 career 50+ yard field goals with a 50 yarder against Pittsburgh. He was named first team All-Southwest Conference and helped the Longhorns win a share of the Southwest Conference Championship and then win the 1994 Sun Bowl.[2] He set the freshman school record for points scored in a season (80) and finished 3rd for accuracy (73.7%) by a freshman.[3]
As a sophomore, Dawson made honorary All-America honors while leading the Longhorns in scoring and helping them to win the Southwest Conference Championship outright and go to the Sugar Bowl.[2] In the Sugar Bowl, he kicked a notable game-winning field goal against the University of Virginia, booting a 50-yarder against a 30-MPH wind to give Texas a dramatic 17–16 victory as time expired. It was the 2nd longest field goal in a bowl game in school history and the team's first ever walk-off field goal.[3]
In his junior year, Dawson scored 108 points, the second most in a season, and the most ever by a placekicker, in school history at the time a.[3] Against Oklahoma State, he scored 17 points setting a school record that would last until 2023.[3] He made first team All-Big 12 and he helped Texas win the first Big 12 Championship game, make a trip to the Fiesta Bowl and finish ranked 23rd. He led the Big 12 in field goals and kick scoring per game (9 ppg).[4] He led the team in scoring for the 3rd consecutive year and at the Fiesta Bowl he tied the school record for field goals in a bowl game (3).[3] He was named to the Newspaper Enterprise Association's All-American team.[5]
In 1997, his senior year, he was a team captain and was named second-team All-Big 12 and first-team Academic All-Big 12.[2] Against Rutgers he kicked a college career long 54 yard field goal.[3]
After his final year at Texas, he played in the 1998 Senior Bowl.[2]
He finished as the Texas's all-time leading scorer with 339 career points, a record that would be broken by Ricky Williams five games into the next season. It wouldn't be topped by another place kicker until 2004. He also held the record for career field goal attempts (79), field goals made (59), consecutive field goals made (15) and field goal accuracy (74.7%) and most of the records would last over 20 years. He was also 2nd for 50+ yard field goals made (9).[3]
In 2012 he was entered into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.[6]
The Cleveland Browns signed Dawson as a free agent in March 1999, and he remained with the team for 14 years until he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2013. (He was the only player left from the 1999 Browns squad.) Dawson holds the Browns record for most consecutive field goals made (29) and most field goals in a game (6). Dawson is currently the 7th most accurate kicker in the NFL. On October 10, 2010, Dawson tied Lou Groza for the Browns' career field-goal record with 234.[7]
Dawson scored the first points in the history of the "new" Cleveland Browns in 1999. On October 10 of that year, he scored the only touchdown of his career on a fake field goal against the Bengals in an 18–17 loss.
Dawson would have become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2010 season, but he was given the franchise tag on February 22, keeping him for the 2011 season.
On September 26, 2013, Dawson attempted and missed a 71-yard fair catch kick in the last seconds of the second quarter of a game against the St. Louis Rams. He made 27 consecutive field goals during the 2013 season, until the streak was snapped by a 24-yard field goal miss against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17. Dawson finished his first year in San Francisco with the second-most points (140) and field goals (32-of-36) in the team's history. Dawson kicked the game-winning field goal in the 49ers Wild Card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on January 5, 2014, giving the 49ers a 23–20 road victory.
On March 11, 2014, Dawson signed a new two-year contract to remain with the 49ers.[9]
Dawson re-signed with the 49ers on a one-year contract on March 12, 2016.[10] He made his 400th career field goal on November 20, 2016, against the Patriots.
Arizona Cardinals
On March 10, 2017, Dawson signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals.[11]
On September 10, 2017, in the season opening 35–23 loss to the Detroit Lions, Dawson made his debut as a Cardinal, converting two extra points and a field goal in the loss.[12] In the next game, Dawson converted three field goals, including a 40-yarder to force overtime and a 30-yarder in overtime to win, in the 16–13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.[13]
On November 26, 2017, Dawson hit a 57-yard field goal with one second left to beat the favored Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the longest made field goal of Dawson's career (although he made a 59-yard field goal during a 2010 preseason game with the Browns).[14] He converted four field goals in the game, including the 57-yard game-winner, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[15]
Dawson became the 11th player in NFL history to appear in 300 career games.[16]
On November 26, 2018, Dawson was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury.[17]
Retirement
On August 1, 2019, Dawson announced his retirement after 21 seasons after signing a one-day ceremonial contract with the Browns to retire as a member of the team. After Dawson's retirement, Adam Vinatieri became the sole remaining active player from the 1990s.[18]
Dawson had a rule named after him after a missed call by officials. On November 18, 2007, Dawson attempted a 51-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter to tie the game against the Baltimore Ravens. The kick carried through the air and hit the left upright, then went through the uprights (like any good field goal), and then hit the rear curved support post (stanchion) that holds the crossbar, then bounced back over the crossbar (through the uprights again, but backwards this time) into the end zone in front of the goalpost. The kick was originally ruled no good. Under NFL rules, the play was not reviewable.[21] Officials discussed the play among themselves for several minutes and decided that, since the ball had indeed crossed the crossbar within the goal, whatever happened afterward to the ball did not matter. The kick was considered good, as announced by refereePete Morelli. However, as the play was not technically reviewable, referee Pete Morelli announced that the play was reversed "after discussion," as opposed to "after further review," as is usually stated. At this point the Ravens, already celebrating in the locker room, as they would have won 30-27 if the field goal was no good, were called back out onto the field to proceed to overtime. The Browns went on to win the game, 33–30 in overtime, as Dawson made a 33-yard field goal, which was more visible this time. Dawson finished four for five in field goals, whereas fellow Lake Highlands High School alumnus Matt Stover finished three for three in field goals for the Ravens.[22]
Notably, later in the season on December 16, in the snow and wind gusts up to 40mph, Dawson kicked another field goal, a 49-yarder which was more improbable, that hit the crossbar. This field goal helped the Browns secure an 8–0 victory over the Buffalo Bills in blizzard-like conditions. Hitting this same structure twice in the same season has led some members of the Cleveland press to begin referring to the support post as "The Dawson Bar."[23]
Prior to the 2008 season, the rule was changed to allow field goal and extra point attempts that hit the uprights or crossbar to be reviewed. This new rule is called the "Phil Dawson Rule."[24]
Personal life
Dawson resides in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Shannon, and their three children: Dru, Beau, and Sophiann. Shannon is a singer-songwriter and produced her first album "Redemption" in 2013.
Beau graduated in 2022 from Lipscomb Academy High School in Nashville where Dawson was the special teams coordinator for the team.[26] As of fall 2023, Beau is on the roster as a tight end and deep snapper at Lamar University in Beaumont.[27]
After two seasons and a state title at Lipscomb, Dawson was hired as the head football coach and athletic director at Hyde Park High School in Austin.[28] On December 5, 2024, Phil Dawson stepped down as the Hyde Park High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach. His wife, Shannon, also moved on from her position as the Hyde Park High School Director of Athletic Advancement.
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