ESPN SportsCentury: Jim Brown

"I'm not interested in trying to work on people's perceptions. I am who I am, and if you don't take the time to learn about that, then your perception is going to be your problem,"
~Jim Brown
Jim Brown is to running backs what Superman is to cartoon heroes. Standing 6-foot-2 and packing 230 hard pounds on his square-shouldered frame, he was an explosive fullback, combining outstanding speed with awesome power. He played only nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns - and led the NFL in rushing eight times.
He averaged 104 yards a game, a record 5.22 yards a pop. He ran for at least 100 yards in 58 of his 118 regular-season games (he never missed a game). He ran for 237 yards in a game twice, scored five touchdowns in another game, and four times scored four touchdowns. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards seven times, scorching opponents for 1,527 yards in one 12-game season and 1,863 in a 14-game season.
Unlike most athletes, Brown retired when he was on top. At 30, he decided he'd rather be in movies than star on a football field. When he did leave the game before the 1966 season, no player had ever ran for as many yards (12,312) or scored more touchdowns (126) or rushing touchdowns (106).
Brown was born on Feb. 17, 1936 on St. Simons Island off the southern coast of Georgia. He was abandoned by his father about two weeks after his birth, and his mother left when he was two to take a job as a maid on Long Island, New York. His great-grandmother raised Brown, and they shared a house with his grandmother, who was an alcoholic. When he was four, he attended school in a segregated two-room shack. At eight, his mother sent for him; it was the first time they saw each other in six years.
Brown, Cleveland's first-round draft choice at No. 6 overall, was the NFL's Rookie of the Year in 1957, leading all running backs with 942 yards. "When you have a thoroughbred," coach Paul Brown said, "you run him."
The next year the fullback was MVP after leading the league in rushing with 1,527 yards and touchdowns with 18. But his season ended in disappointment when the Browns lost the regular-season finale 13-10 to the New York Giants, leaving the teams tied for first in the East, and then 10-0 the following Sunday. Brown was held to just eight yards on seven carries in the playoff game.
Brown's 1,329 and 1,257 yards in 12-game seasons led NFL rushers the next two seasons. In 1961, in the first 14-game season, Brown was No. 1 for the fifth straight season with 1,408 yards. But the Browns again failed to make the postseason and tension with Paul Brown intensified. In 1962, for the only time in his career, Brown failed to win the rushing title, gaining just 996 yards.
Differences with Paul Brown worsened as Cleveland fell to 7-6-1. After the season, the outspoken fullback headed a players revolt and told owner Art Modell "either Paul Brown goes or I quit." Paul Brown was fired.
In his initial season under new coach Blanton Collier, Brown became the first back to run for more than a mile as he gained 1,863 yards. He led the league with 1,446 yards in 1964 as the Browns won the NFL championship. They routed Baltimore 27-0 in the title game, with Brown rushing for a game-high 114 yards.
In 1965 - in what would be his final season - Brown won his second MVP after leading the league in rushing with 1,544 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns (17 running). The Browns made it back to the title game, but this time they lost - 23-12 to the Packers.
While working on "The Dirty Dozen" in London, Brown stunned the sports world by announcing his retirement. He said he wanted to devote more time to his movie career and race relations. Brown went on to appear in some 32 movies, with "The Dirty Dozen" and "Ice Station Zebra" being the best.
In the 1960s, Brown helped form the Negro Industrial Economic Union to assist black-owned businesses. In 1988, he created the Amer-I-Can program, an effort to turn gang members from destructive to productive members of society.
He has been an outspoken critic of the modern African-American athlete for what he perceives as a lack of involvement in the African-American community. "A Charles Barkley, a Magic Johnson, and a Michael Jordan are basically prima donnas," Brown said.
Brown has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of Pro Football, College Football and Lacrosse. No other player has accomplished this triple.
Other Jim Bown Titles in the MoeDee's Basketball KZbin Channel Catalog
A Football Life: Jim Brown
• A Football Life: Jim B...
The Top 100 NFLs Greatest Players: #2 Jim Brown
• The Top 100 NFLs Great...
Jim Brown: Athlete, Activist, Actor, ICON
• Jim Brown: Athlete, Ac...
ON THIS DAY... Jim Brown
• ON THIS DAY... Jim Brown
REMEMBERING AN ICON: Jim Brown
• Video
#JimBrown #ESPNSportsCentury #MoeDeesBasketball

[@morris9775]

Jim Brown was more than just a great NFL Hall of Famer, he was a hall of fame human being!!! RIP!

[@JuliusC1973]

Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Lacrosse Hall of Fame! He waqs Bo Jackson before Bo Jackson was even born.

[@robertferguson533]

Set the standard

[@ExodusPessoa]

Well Written

[@GBU61]

Nothing is ever said about his lack of being a father to his own children and his inability to deal with women. Amazing athlete, but great human being…? No!

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

Super Great college & NFL football player & good Hollywood 🎬 actor

[@good03boy]

Jim Brown was a proud African American man. R.I.P.

[@loydkline]

Greatest NFL running 🏃‍♂️ backs ever

[@9xxxxxxxxx]

American.

[@duftyboxing]

100% He's on Mt. Rushmore with Russell, Jabbar, and Ali. We see you LeBron may have to make room for you. Salute. 👏 Should mention Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron too. ❤

[@loydkline]

@@duftyboxing Jim brown legendary NFL football 🏈 player ;;

[@alanvallazza9781]

R.I.P. Jim. Greatest of all time.

[@robertferguson533]

Excellent documentary. Back when ESPN was relevant and had some backbone

[@wuncieadams1352]

I feel Jim Brown was ahead of his time and was right to want Black people to step-up and advocate, militate for Black people, peace in the Black community and Black prosperity.

[@robertferguson533]

Absolutely

[@terrencefields4115]

To bad more of us didn't listen.

[@LoydKline-uw4no]

NFL legend Jim brown

[@garynixon9035]

RIP BIG JIM THE GREATEST RUNNING BACK OF ALL TIME.AND GREATEST BROWN !!!!!!!!!

[@Laneganswake]

maybe the greatest Lacrosse 🥍 player as well!

[@nishantpatel5980]

RIP.

[@ramsesstafford4640]

RIP Jim Brown there will never be another. 🙏🏽

[@maureencora1]

Heaven is for Heroes, R.I.P. All-American.

[@janiceeteme5536]

Love comes from many colors. God truly looked out for Mr. Jim Brown. So thankful for Brown's coach and mentor

[@charlesfelton1740]

Rest in peace to the greatest running back my favorite player all time even though I did not have a chance to see him play

[@RussellSwilley]

JB. a consequential man

[@dwightlove3704]

Frank Gifford used the only word to describe Jim Brown: Superman!!!!!!!

[@dwightlove3704]

I'm in the process of purchasing a Throwback Jersey of Jim Brown.

[@JohnKlanac-yo5bq]

They sell them at the stadium

[@hectorgonzalez8475]

The goat of running back

[@AHMAD-2324]

Not the GOAT but definitely Top five. I have him 3rd on my list... 1. Barry Sanders 2. Walter Payton 3. Jim Brown 4. Emmitt Smith 5. Eric Dickerson

[@destineetyson7756]

Rip Mr Jim brown you are my favorite actor on the plane ❤️💋❤️💋❤️💋💋♥️💋💋♥️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️♥️❤️

[@M.AlexanderZagorski-uo1gu]

James Nathaniel Brown (February 17,1963-May 18,2023) was ONE GREAT AMERICAN!🇺🇲

[@JRAHIT]

*1936

[@gabrielulate4645]

He will FOREVER BE MY HERO!...# Ride or Die, COACH...

[@TheBaylor22]

Brown was an incredible runner! Speed, power, balance, and vision. Please remember that when he played, there was no such thing as a single back running alignment. The I-Formation came into vogue many years later. The shotgun, a few years after that. While obviously Brown took the vast majority of Cleveland’s carries, there were a number of carries available for Bobby Mitchell, Ernie Green, and such as well. If Jim had been the lone back in the formation, his rushing totals would have been even more astounding.

[@fornearyhodge8939]

The number one running back in the NFL all times! Jimmy BROWN 6'2" 230 lbs ! He had strength, speed, quickness, balance and vision! RIH & RIP / We love you #32/ He single-handedly change the running back position!!!!

[@NattyKoolj]

They need to remake that movie. Dirty Dozen

[@wobblertv8083]

The king ...nuff said !

[@sherrilldean211]

❤100% ... A REAL MAN ... GOOD FOR HIM ...

[@GeorgeYoung-uh5by]

Who was the greatest running back ever? Jim Brown. The Godfather. Everybody else 2nd.

[@anthonyjohnson9403]

I got my ideas about African, Pan African, African American, African diaspora unification from people like Jim Brown. RIP, real black man.

[@clifftanton8385]

Greatness

[@cinnamonspice4389]

The Goat 🐐 RIP

[@antoinetownsend1182]

Rip Jim Brown

[@shush2000]

If I was given a dollar for every pixel in this video, I'd owe money.

[@user-wb4ef4yx9x]

RIP Jimmy Brown

[@williamfranklin8715]

RIH Big Jim

[@garrettirving8495]

Mr Brown carried himself with Moorish Pride & was the Greatest NFL Running Back of All Time !!!! Plus Jim was from the Dirty South !

[@pmcclaren1]

where are you from ole boy? Illinois is a northern state. What kind of help do you need ole son?

[@abdeenabdul7803]

They didn't make him heisman amd they picked him 6th in the draft racism was crazy back then

[@janiceeteme5536]

Respect

[@samwells781]

🏉BIG JIM 🥇.

[@janiceeteme5536]

❤❤❤❤

[@rodneyhill9909]

Jesus Christ 🙏 only made Jim brown. Literally

[@dwightlove3704]

They had a history of black players in the football program at Syracuse it included two black QBs Wilmet Sidah Sing and Alvatas Stone.Stone was removed from the team because of his relationship with a White Female student.

[@michaelkiser919]

That's bs..who cares what they do in their personal life

[@dwightlove3704]

@@michaelkiser919 The school did obviously.He was the Jack Johnson of college football.

[@clifftanton8385]

Top three any any order Smith Payton Brown

[@VideoClipsEntertainment]

Brown Sanders Payton

[@clifftanton8385]

@@VideoClipsEntertainment good picks forgot about Sanders

[@JohnKlanac-yo5bq]

You said there's no such thing as a single back formation that's what he did??

[@SamuelCochran]

Rip

[@JJJBRICE]

Offensive tackle Dick Schafrath must have been close to Jim Brown whom he called "Jimmy" . Brown who for years campaigned for Schafrath ito be included in the Hall Of Fame unsuccessfully .

[@JohnKlanac-yo5bq]

Dick's in the Hall of Fame dude

[@user-lr9bd5tw3e]

Jim Brown understood that black and white ppl weren’t meant to live together I’m not begin racist just honest. Once blacks intergrated we gave up alot

[@user-ov5js7ly6b]

Blow me Lawrence is the greatest

[@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973]

I think Brown would have been happier if he'd taken the approach of Willie Mays, who dealt with the same prejudices but never let an inferiority complex develop inside his mind. Willie just let his talent speak for itself and went about the business of winning. But I suppose baseball is a different sport than most others. If you are thinking about anything else besides making adjustments, the league will pass you by. That's why Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit he gets. He was dealing with the worst of it and still performing. It cost him his health in the long run through

[@rodneyhill9909]

I 🙏 pray that he made Jesus Christ 🙏 only his Lord 🙏 and savior. If not all he did was in vain

[@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973]

Self righteous aren't you?

[@millerarant3629]

Too bad he ruined Maurice Clarett’s career.

[@moedeesbasketball]

How was that?

[@millerarant3629]

@@moedeesbasketball Watch the 30 for 30 on Clarett. According to Clarett’s family, Jim Brown started insulting Ohio State’s AD and wanted some sort of financial settlement, which I’m sure Jim was planning on pocketing some money. Ohio State’s AD told Clarett and his crew to kick rocks. That started Clarett’s massive downward spiral.

[@JohnKlanac-yo5bq]

Maurice clarett chose his own path and that was to a Toledo prison

[@JohnKlanac-yo5bq]

The athletic director was shady though