Athletes - Dermontti Dawson

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	Athletes - Dermontti Dawson

Dermontti Dawson (born July 17, 1965 in Lexington, Kentucky) is a former American NFL center, who played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He attended Bryan Station High School in Lexington, where he was a nationally-ranked track and field performer in the discus and shot put. During his junior year, he joined the football team as a favor to his friends, where he was successful as a guard. Although he had still planned to attend college on a track scholarship, recruiters at the University of Kentucky convinced him to attend on a football scholarship.

Dawson was picked by the Steelers in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft, playing on the offensive line alongside Mike Webster, from whom he took over the role of starting center the next year. He soon became one of the most respected players among the Steelers, and one of the best at his position. His friendly demeanor earned him the nickname Ned Flanders, after the character from The Simpsons. He played in seven Pro Bowls. Dawson played 171 consecutive games, until severe hamstring injuries forced him to sit out in 1999.

He might also be well known for a single bad play during Super Bowl XXX against the Dallas Cowboys. Dawson, who also played at long snapper, accidentally snapped the football over quarterback Neil O'Donnell's head, which led to a huge loss on that set of plays.

Now retired, Dawson lives in Lexington, and owns a chain of laundromats. He is on the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, the University of Kentucky. He is married, with two children.

The Steelers have not reissued Dawson's #63 since he formally retired in 2000. Although the Steelers do not officially retire numbers, it is not likely that a Steeler will wear that jersey in the near future.

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