Who is Jim Brown and what did he do?

• Jim Brown is a former American football player who spent nine seasons in the NFL playing for the Cleveland Browns
• The American retired at the age of 30 when he was at the peak of his career
• His number 44 jersey is retired by Syracuse University and his number 32 jersey is retired by the Cleveland Browns

Jim Brown is a former American football player who spent nine seasons in the NFL playing for the Cleveland Browns. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time.

Jim Brown never missed a game and was invited to the Pro Bowl every season he was in the NFL. He won an NFL Championship and was recognized as the AP NFL Most Valuable Player three times.

Jim Brown. Photo/ YouTube.

The American retired at the age of 30 when he was at the peak of his career. Nevertheless, he is remembered for his amazing style of play, which involved catching passes, returning kickoffs and even throwing touchdown passes.

Fans still ponder the heights he would have reached if he hadn’t announced his retirement at the age of 30. The Sporting News named Jim as the greatest professional football player of all time in 2002.

Jim is a College Football Hall of Famer and Pro Football Hall of Famer. He was named to the NFL’s 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams. His number 44 jersey is retired by Syracuse University and his number 32 jersey is retired by the Cleveland Browns.

Besides playing football, Brown also excelled in basketball, lacrosse and track and field. He is one of the greatest lacrosse players in history and is a member of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The Premier Lacrosse League MVP Award is named after him.

Early Life 

Jim Brown was born in St. Simons Island, Georgia, on February 17, 1936. He is the son of former professional boxer Swinton Brown and homemaker Theresa.

He attended Manhasset Secondary School, where he earned 13 letters playing basketball, lacrosse, football, baseball and running track.

Brown joined Syracuse University and was the school’s second-leading rusher as a sophomore. During the Heisman Trophy voting, Brown finished fifth for the highest season rush average (6.2) and most rushing touchdowns in a single game(6).

Besides being active in sports, he also participated in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps during his college days. Jim Brown became a second lieutenant after graduating and continued his military commitment while playing in the NFL.

Career 

The Cleveland Browns picked Jim Brown in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft. Although Paul Brown was reluctant to use rookies during his coaching career, the case was different with Jim Brown.

During a match against the Los Angeles Rams in his rookie season, Brown set an NFL single-game record and a rookie record when he rushed 237 yards. The single-game record stood for 14 years, while the rookie record was broken after 40 years.

Brown’s impressive performance earned him NFL Rookie of the Year. He also received recognition as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player by many media organizations at the end of the season.

The American became an NFL champion in 1964 with the Cleveland Browns. Jim earned league MVP honours four times (1957, 1958, 1963, and 1965).

Jim Brown stunned fans in the summer of 1966 when he announced his retirement. He was at the time 30 years old and has never returned to playing football again. Just to prove how talented Brown was, some of his records in the NFL have not been broken up to date.

Jim Brown. Photo/ FanBuzz.

FAQs 

Who is Jim Brown? 

Jim Brown is a former American football player widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. He retired at the age of 30. 

What did Jim Brown do after retiring from football? 

Before his retirement, Jim Brown had appeared in the 1964 action film called Rio Conchos. He continued his acting career after retiring from football and has featured in numerous films. Brown was a CBS Sports analyst in 1978 but ended the venture after a short while to continue his acting career.

Did Jim Brown play another sport? 

Yes. Besides football, Jim Brown also played basketball, track and field and lacrosse.

What is Jim Brown’s net worth? 

Jim Brown’s net worth is estimated to be around $30 million.