Jim Brown, widely regarded as one of the greatest professional and college football players of all time, has passed away at the age of 87. His wife, Monique, announced his death in an Instagram post, stating that he passed peacefully in their home in Los Angeles.
Throughout his career, Brown was celebrated as an activist, actor, and football star. He was recognized for his exceptional skills and achievements in the sport, being named the greatest football player ever by the Sporting News in 2002. In 2020, he was selected to the NFL 100 all-time team and ranked as the top all-time player on the College Football 150 list.
Brown’s football career spanned nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, from 1957 to 1965. He led the league in rushing for eight of those seasons, accumulating a total of 12,312 yards with an average of 5.2 yards per carry. He was also named a Pro Bowler every year he played and led the Browns to the league championship game three times, winning the title in 1964. Brown received numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named league MVP on three occasions.
His consistency and durability were remarkable, as he never missed a game and ran for at least 100 yards in 58 out of 118 regular-season games. Brown surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in seven seasons, achieving impressive totals of 1,527 yards in a 12-game season and 1,863 yards in a 14-game season.
To put his dominance in perspective, his “worst” statistical year was his rookie season where he still managed to post 942yds rushing and 9 TDs. All while maintaining a 4.7 yard per attempt mark, which would have put him on par with Christian McCaffrey this past season.
Following his retirement from football at the age of 30, Brown focused on his movie career and social issues. He starred in over 25 films such as “The Dirty Dozen” and used his platform to advocate for civil rights and empower the Black community. In 1988, he established the Amer-I-Can program, which aimed to guide gang members toward productive lives. He also encouraged modern athletes to be more involved in social initiatives. Brown’s contributions to society earned him praise and recognition beyond just his athletic achievements.
His number 32 jersey was retired by the Cleveland Browns in 1971, the same year that he entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam remarked “Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL,” Jimmy and Dee Haslam said. “He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history. Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today. So many people grew up watching him just dominate every time he stepped onto the football field but his countless accolades on the field only tell a small part of his story.”
Jim is survived by his wife Monique, and five children Kim, Kevin, James, Aris and Morgan.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.