Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown has died at the age of 87.
“It is with profound sadness that I announce the passing of my husband, Jim Brown,” Monique Brown said in a statement. “He passed peacefully last night at our LA home. To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star. To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken.”
Brown is one of the greatest running backs of all time, having won three MVPs (including in his rookie season in 1957) and being named an All-Pro in each of his nine NFL seasons, eight of which he was a First-teamer. He was the sixth overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft out of Syracuse.
Brown led the NFL in rushing yards in every season he played but one, and also had the most rushing touchdowns on five occasions.
His 106 rushing touchdowns are the sixth-most all-time, and his 12,312 rushing yards rank the 11th most in NFL history.
Brown retired after 1965, another season in which he was a First-team All-Pro, to pursue acting and civil rights activism. He appeared in more than 30 films.
“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,” the Browns said in a statement.
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