By ADMIN FC The legendary Cleveland Browns running back turned a starring role in the NFL into a long run as an actor and activist.
The legendary Cleveland Browns running back turned a starring role in the NFL into a long run as an actor and activist.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, an unstoppable running back who retired at the peak of his brilliant career to become an actor as well as a prominent civil rights advocate during the 1960s, has died. He was 87.
A spokeswoman for Brown’s family said he passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night with his wife, Monique, by his side.
“To the world, he was an activist, actor, and football star,” Monique Brown wrote in an Instagram post on Friday. “To our family, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken.”
One of football’s first superstars, Brown was chosen as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1965 and shattered the league’s record books in a short career spanning 1957-65.
Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 before retiring in his prime after the ’65 season to become an actor. He appeared in more than 30 films, including Any Given Sunday and The Dirty Dozen.
On the field, some feel there has never been anyone better than Cleveland’s incomparable No 32. At 6-foot-2-inches (189cm), 230 pounds (104 kg), he was relentless, fighting for every yard, dragging multiple defenders along or finding holes where none seemed to exist.
Brown was an eight-time All-Pro and went to the Pro Bowl in each of his nine years in the league. When Brown walked away from the game at age 30, he held the league’s records for yards (12,312) and touchdowns (126).
And despite his bruising style, Browns never missed a game, playing in 118 straight.
“Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL,” said Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “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. His commitment to making a positive impact for all of humanity off the field is what he should also be known for.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered his condolences on behalf of the league.