Lin Dawson

{{Short description|American football player (born 1959)}}

{{For|the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame quarterback|Len Dawson}}{{Blp more sources|date=June 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Lin Dawson

| number = 87

| position = Tight end

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|06|24}}

| birth_place = Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 240

| high_school = Kinston {{nowrap|(Kinston, North Carolina)}}

| college = NC State

| draftyear = 1981

| draftround = 8

| draftpick = 212

| pastteams =

• New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|1981|1990}})
• Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1991}})*

| highlights =

• New England Patriots All-1980s Team

| statlabel1 = Receptions

| statvalue1 = 117

| statlabel2 = Receiving yards

| statvalue2 = 1,233

| statlabel3 = Touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 8

| pfr = DawsLi00

}}

James Linwood Dawson, legally changed to Lin Dawson in 1993 (born June 24, 1959), is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He serves as the managing director of The Lin Dawson Organization, LLC.

Lin grew up in Kinston, North Carolina. After graduating from Kinston High School in 1977, he accepted a football scholarship from NC State University. In 1981 NFL draft, he was selected by New England, where he played ten years. A starter at tight end, Dawson suffered torn ligaments in his knee on the Patriots’ first offensive play from scrimmage in Super Bowl XX on an incomplete pass thrown to him by quarterback Tony Eason, causing him to miss not only the rest of the Super Bowl but the entire following 1986 season. He was a member of the New England Patriots ‘Team of the Decade-1980's.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025}}

During the 1987 NFL players strike, Dawson was the player representative for the New England Patriots.{{Cite news |last=Montville |first=Leigh |date=October 4, 1987 |title=Waiting game |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-they-play-the-waiting-g/174960297/ |access-date=2025-06-21 |work=Boston Globe |via=Newspapers.com}}