One of the most iconic and legendary NFL players of all-time running back and Hall of Famer Jim Brown passed away on Thursday at the age of 87. His wife Monique announced the passing on an Instagram post on Friday afternoon, saying Brown passed away peacefully in their home Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Brown spent all nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, selected in the first round in 1957. He rushed for 12,312 yards and held a 5.2 yards per carry average over his career. He also was named a Pro Bowler every year he played. He led the Browns to the League Championship three times, winning the title in 1964, and was named MVP three times. He ran for at least 100 yards in 58 of his 118 regular-season games, never missing a game. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in seven seasons, including 1,527 yards in one 12-game season and 1,863 in a 14-game season.
In 2020, Brown was selected to the NFL 100 All-Time Team and also was ranked as the No. 1 All-Time player on the College Football 150 list. He was named the greatest football player ever by the Sporting News in 2002. Brown retired at the age of 30, at the top of his career. He was filming the movie “The Dirty Dozen” during the offseason in 1966, and production went long because of bad weather. Browns owner Art Modell threatened to suspend Brown’s pay if he didn’t report to training camp on time. Brown opted to retire, saying he wanted to focus on his movie career and social issues.
The Cleveland Browns released a statement on Browns’ passing, saying “It’s impossible to describe the profound love and and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy. We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world. Our hearts are with Jim’s family, loved ones, and all those he impacted along the way.”
Story by Chris Lessner
