Len Dawson will join a short list of only three broadcasters in history who made the transition from Hall of Fame NFL player to HOF broadcaster when he receives the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award tomorrow night at the Memorial Civic Center and Cultural Center in Canton, OH.

Dawson, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987,  will receive the Rozelle Award during the 2012 annual Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner.  (In June, Bottom Line had reported on this story.)

The honor is designed to honor  “long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.” Other HOF players to receive the award include Frank Gifford (1955) and Dan Dierdorf (2008).

“This is an unbelievable award for me,” says Dawson. “To be in the Hall of Fame as a player was the highlight of my playing career, but now to be recognized by the Hall of Fame as a broadcaster, well, it’s just a great, great honor.”

Dawson began his broadcasting career in 1966 as a sports anchor with KMBC Radio and sports director for KMBC-TV while still playing quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Following his retirement as a player in 1975, Dawson joined NBC-TV as a color analyst on NFL games from 1976 until 1982.

Also in 1982, he joined the Chiefs Radio Network as a color commentator, a position he continues to hold. He is the longest tenured sportscaster in Kansas City radio and television history.

While working NFL games for NBC, Dawson began a 24-year stint (1977-2001) as the host of HBO’s popular “Inside the NFL show.”  Inside the NFL was cable television’s longest running series and the first NFL-related program to air on cable.

Past recipients of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award:

1989 – Bill MacPhail
1990 – Lindsey Nelson
1991 – Ed Sabol
1992 – Chris Schenkel
1993 – Curt Gowdy
1994 – Pat Summerall
1995 – Frank Gifford
1996 – Jack Buck
1997 – Charlie Jones
1998 – Val Pinchbeck
1999 – Dick Enberg
2000 – Ray Scott
2001 – Roone Arledge
2002 – John Madden
2003 – Don Criqui
2004 – Van Miller
2005 – Myron Cope
2006 – Lesley Visser
2007 – Don Meredith
2008 – Dan Dierdorf
2009 – Irv Cross
2010 – Chris Berman
2011 -  Jim Nantz
2012 – LEN DAWSON