CLEVELAND: Phil Dawson thought the emotional part of the day was over.
The kicker who spent the first 14 of his 17 years in the NFL with the Browns thought the highlights that ran on the FirstEnergy Stadium scoreboard during pregame would be the only acknowledgment of his return Sunday with the San Francisco 49ers.
Then with 9:05 remaining in the first quarter, Dawson was blindsided.
The Browns ran the video again, along with a list of his accomplishments. Then a camera went to Dawson standing alone at the end of the 49ers bench. The announced crowd of 63,916 gave him a standing ovation.
Fighting not to tear up, Dawson tapped his heart in response.
“I wanted the people to know how special it was to me and that all the love that was coming my way was mutual,” Dawson said.
“I told people, ‘When I’m an old man and my memory’s starting to fade I hope the good Lord lets me remember today because it’s about as good as it gets,’ ” he said.
The Browns pounded the 49ers 24-10, but that didn’t ruin what Dawson called “a special, special day.”
As Dawson spoke to reporters after the game, his wife, Shannon, and three children, in the eighth, sixth and fourth grades, waited nearby. His daughter teared up as he warmly greeted old friends in the media.
Dawson, 40, holds the franchise record for most successful field goals (305), and is second in scoring (1,271 points). The Browns let him leave in free agency in 2012 even though his total of 215 games played was one shy of tying Lou Groza for second on the franchise’s all-time list.
Dawson admitted how surprised he was that the Browns held a ceremony for him.
“I figured after the little deal they did in pregame that was going to be it. So I kind of exhaled and was trying to find my rhythm,” he said. “Then all of a sudden, boom. I’m trying not to break down on the sideline and zero in on kicking and paying attention to the wind. It was just hard to find that balance today.
“I don’t think I have words to do it justice. I want to thank the Browns organization for doing that and the fans for making it so special.”
Dawson will be a free agent after this season and was asked about returning to Cleveland.
“I can’t answer that right now,” he said. “But it’s a special, special place and I love it.”
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at www.ohio.com/marla. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.