CLEVELAND, Ohio — Long-time kicker Phil Dawson will now have to get used to the winds coming off the San Francisco Bay.
He announced Tuesday afternoon he is joining the San Francisco 49ers.
Dawson hoped to come to an agreement with the Browns, but it became obvious the team was going in a different direction when Joe Banner declined to discuss, publicly, the Dawson free agency situation.
On his twitter feed, @phil_dawson_4, Dawson thanked the fans and expressed his enjoyment of playing in Cleveland. Those tweets include:
I am humbled & thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my career with my new team, the SF 49ers!
— Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4) March 19, 2013
Playing for you has been one of the great joys of my life, and I wish you all the best.
— Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4) March 19, 2013
Hey, Cleveland. Thank you for a tremendous ride. Your love, support & encouragement have blessed me deeply.
— Phil Dawson (@phil_dawson_4) March 19, 2013
When he kicks for the 49ers, Dawson will be reunited with former Browns special teams coach Brad Seeley.
Dawson holds the Browns franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He is the only player that has been on the Browns roster every year since the team returned to the NFL in 1999.
The Cleveland Browns released the following statement Tuesday night:
“We want to thank Phil for all of his years of service to the Cleveland Browns. He accomplished a great deal in his time here on the field, as a team leader and in the community. We know how much Phil meant to our organization and our fans, and he will always hold a special place in our franchise’s history and with the city of Cleveland. We want to wish Phil and his family the best of success in San Francisco.”
