Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, an unstoppable running back who retired at the height of his brilliant career to become both an actor and a prominent civil rights advocate in the 1960s, has passed away. He turned 87.
A spokeswoman for Brown’s family said he passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Thursday evening, 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. “He was a loving husband, father and grandfather to our family. Our hearts are broken.”
One of football’s first superstars, Brown was voted the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1965 and shattered the league’s record books in a brief career spanning 1957-65.
Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL title in 1964 before retiring after the peak of the ’65 season to become an actor. He appeared in more than 30 films, including Any Given Sunday and The Dirty Dozen.
The arrival of Brown, a powerful runner with speed and stamina, led to the game’s burgeoning popularity on television.
As black Americans fought for equality, Brown used his platform and voice to further their cause.
“I hope every black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives,” said NBA star LeBron James. “We’re all on your shoulders, Jim Brown.”
In June 1967, Brown organized The Cleveland Summit, a gathering of the country’s top black athletes, including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to support boxer Muhammad Ali’s fight against serving in Vietnam.
In later years, he worked to curb gang violence in LA and in 1988 founded Amer-I-Can, a program to help underprivileged inner-city youth and ex-convicts.
On the field, some feel there’s never been anyone better than Cleveland’s incomparable No. 32. At 6’11” (189 cm), 230 lb (104 kg), he was relentless, fighting for every yard and dragging multiple defenders . or find holes where none seemed to exist.
Brown was an eight-time All-Pro, going 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 in a row.
“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 ever to wear a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history. Jim was one of the reasons why the Browns have such a great fan base today.
“So many people grew up watching him 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 dedication to making a positive impact for all of humanity beyond the field, is what he should also be known for.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell offered his condolences on behalf of the league.
“Jim Brown was a gifted athlete — one of the most dominant players ever on an athletic field — but also a cultural figure who helped drive change,” Goodell said.
However, Brown was a controversial figure off the field and was arrested half a dozen times, mostly on charges of beating women.
In June 1999, Brown’s wife called 911 and said Brown had smashed her car with a shovel and threatened to kill her. At trial, Monique Brown recanted. Jim Brown was acquitted of a domestic threat charge, but convicted of felony vandalism. The Los Angeles judge sentenced Brown to six months in jail for refusing to attend domestic violence help.
Born February 17, 1936 in St Simons Island, Georgia, Brown was a multi-sport star at Manhasset High School on Long Island.
A two-sport star at Syracuse—some say he’s the greatest lacrosse player in NCAA history—Brown endured numerous racist taunts while playing at the almost all-white school at the time.
Brown was the sixth overall pick of the 1957 draft, joining a team that routinely played for the title. He was the offensive rookie of the year that season.
Running behind an offensive line that included Hall of Fame tackles Lou Groza and Mike McCormack, Brown set a league tally with 1,527 yards and scored 17 touchdowns en route to the league’s Most Outstanding Player award—a precursor to the MVP—in 1958. he never ran less than 1,257 yards for the next three seasons before picking up just 996 in 1962.
He led the NFL in rushing eight times, reaching a career-best 1,863 yards in 1963. He averaged 104 yards per game, scored 106 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Brown was also a dangerous receiver, finishing with 262 catches for 2,499 yards and an additional 20 TDs.
“I have often said, and I will always say, Jim Brown is the best,” said Hall of Fame returnee Gale Sayers once, “and he will still be the best long after all his records have been broken.”
Brown’s No. 32 was retired by the Browns in ’71, the same year he entered the Hall of Fame.
The Browns erected a statue of Brown outside their stadium in 2016.
Brown is survived by his wife Monique and their child. He had divorced Sue Brown after 13 years of marriage, with whom he had three children.