Jim Brown dies at 87, NFL world pays tribute to the all-time great
The NFL community is paying tribute to Jim Brown after the Pro Football Hall of Fame running back passed away Thursday night at the age of 87.
The Cleveland Browns, whom Brown spent the entirety of his nine-year NFL career with (1957-65), earning eight All-Pro selections and winning an NFL Championship in 1964, released a statement on Twitter of his passing.
“Jim Brown Forever,” the statement read. “Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary. It’s impossible to describe the profound love 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.”
Brown finished his career as Cleveland’s all-time rushing leader with 12,312 yards and 106 touchdowns. A three-time NFL MVP, Brown was an ironman, never missing a game during his career. Considered one of, if not the greatest running back in NFL history, Brown led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. He rushed for a career-high 1,863 yards and 12 scores in just 14 games during the 1963 campaign. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, Brown retired as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. He held the record until 1984, when Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton surpassed him.
Team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam called Brown an “icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL.”
“Jim Brown is a true icon of not just the Cleveland Browns but the entire NFL,” the Haslam’s said in a statement. “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.”
NFL community remembers Jim Brown
Brown paved the way for future legends at the position, including Detroit Lions legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders. Sanders shared a photo of he and Brown on Twitter before offering his thoughts and prayers to the Brown family.
“You can’t underestimate the impact #JimBrown had on the @NFL. He will be greatly missed,” Sanders wrote. “Additionally, his generosity and friendship with my family is a gift that we will always treasure. Our thoughts & prayers are with the Brown Family & @Browns fans at this time.”