BEREA, Ohio - As players cleaned out their lockers following another losing season and coaching change, Phil Dawson pulled aside a reporter on New Year's Eve 2012 and showed him what he had scrawled in an adjoining cabinet where he stored his cleats:

Phil was here, 1999-2012.

"Prison style," the former Brown told the Associated Press' Tom Withers.

Dawson served hard time on one of pro sports' losingest franchises, but he was no Andy Dufresne tunneling his way out of Shawshank using a rock hammer. Among NFL's most accurate kickers, Dawson didn't want to leave. He wanted to remain in a place where change and unpredictable weather were the only constants.

In a classic case of the Browns outsmarting themselves, they allowed the then-37 year-old Pro Bowler to walk in free agency. Brandon Bogatay, the youngster management signed to replace Dawson, never kicked in a regular-season game. The Browns settled on veteran Billy Cundiff, who missed several crucial field goals in 2014 that contributed to losses and his release.

As for Dawson, he continues to split the uprights in San Francisco. Unfazed by Father Time and the pressures of his position.

"I consider him one of the all-time best kickers in the league," said Browns punter Andy Lee, who spent the last two seasons as Dawson's teammate in San Francisco. "I think he was kind of underrated a little bit while he was here, probably didn't get the notoriety that he probably deserved, but he's definitely one of the best I've played with and best I've seen play."

Dawson, 40, returns to FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday for perhaps his final appearance here. The Browns get few things right as their 2-10 record attests, but they have another opportunity this weekend.

The organization should pay tribute to one of its most popular and hard-working players in the post-1999 era. No on-field ceremony or video montage is necessary. The humble Texan wouldn't want a fuss created on his account, anyway. During a television timeout, however, the game-ops folks should beam a close-up of No. 4 onto the giant video boards and keep it locked there for 10 seconds.

Savvy Browns fans - the ones who haven't been run out of the building by 17 seasons of inept football - will do the rest. They will stand and cheer a figure who provided excellence and continuity for a franchise in short supply of each.

Think the Browns could spare 10 precious seconds for Dawson? How many NFL fan bases appreciate kickers? This one does. Its training facility resides at 76 Lou Groza Blvd.

"I use him as a standard with young kickers," Browns special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said. "I really do. I say, 'Someday, if you can be a Phil Dawson, you have made it.'"

Tabor admitted Thursday it was tough for Dawson to leave Cleveland. He made a push for the club to re-sign him, but there's only so much an assistant coach can do.

Dawson converted 84.0 percent of his field-goal attempts with the Browns, playing in a windswept stadium where winter often comes early and makes life miserable for specialists. His 87.2 percent career mark ranks him 12th all-time with six kickers ahead of him playing most of their days in domes or warm-weather environs.

He's a staggering 37-of-52 on field goals from 50-plus yards, including all three attempts this season.

In an organization renowned for high-profile screw-ups, nobody took more pride in his craft more than Dawson. He arrived at venues hours early to gauge wind speeds and patterns. He owned cleats for every field-condition and kept a log of each attempt in the stadium along with the atmospheric conditions. He also studied the rotation of balls from his long-snapper so the holder knew exactly where to catch it with the laces pointed toward the goalpost.

He is Bill Nye the Science Guy with a stronger leg.

Three seasons later, Dawson is still kicking at a high level, converting 87.2 percent of his tries while setting a Niners' record with 27 consecutive makes.

Dawson reached the NFC title game in his first season out West, but comes here Sunday as part of a rebuilding 4-8 team. It's similar to the many he played on with the Browns.

Nevertheless, he's excited about his return.

"I'll admit right off the top that it's a really special game for me and my family and (I) certainly had it circled ever since the schedule came out," Dawson said in a conference call. "It's important for me that the Browns fans know that -- that it is indeed special for me."

The Browns should respond accordingly and exhibit the requisite class. Dawson wasn't part of any great teams so often honored at halftime of home games. He didn't win a championship or make a deep playoff run here.

Dawson did something much tougher: He consistently excelled on bad teams and gave fans a player on whom they could rely.

If that's not worth 10 seconds of face time Sunday, what is?