Jim Brown, Activist And Retired Athlete, Dead At 87

Mya Abraham
·3 min read
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Jim Brown—retired athlete, famed actor, and prominent activist—has died at the age of 87. The tragic news was confirmed by his wife, Monique, on Instagram Friday (May 19).

“To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star,” read the post. “To our family he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken…”

Brown is regarded as one of the greatest football players and was part of the Cleveland Browns from 1957 until 1965. The team issued a statement amid news of Brown’s death.

“Jim Brown Forever. Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary. It’s impossible to describe the profound love and 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,” read the statement from Twitter.

Brown was a first round draft pick in 1957 and led the league in rushing for eight of the nine years he played, according to ESPN. He was named Pro Bowler every year he was an active player, led the Browns to the championship three times, and helped them with the Super Bowl in 1964. He was also named MVP three times.

He retired by age 30, at the top of his career.

He was filming The Dirty Dozen during the 1966 offseason and Brown’s then-owner Art Modell threatened to suspend him without pay if he didn’t report to training camp on time. He retired to focus on his acting career and activism. In 1970, he won a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in El Condor.

He went on to make appearances in Draft Day, Living Single, Any Given Sunday, Mars Attacks!, He Got Game, and more.

In 2002, Sporting News named Brown the greatest football player ever. In 2020, he was selected to the NFL 100 all-time team and ranked No. 1 all-time player on the College Football 150 list.

(Original Caption) Former football star Jim Brown (left) and his attorney Johnnie Cochran enter court in L.A. for Brown’s arraignment on three counts of rape and sexual battery. Brown pleaded innocent to all three counts.
(Original Caption) Former football star Jim Brown (left) and his attorney Johnnie Cochran enter court in L.A. for Brown’s arraignment on three counts of rape and sexual battery. Brown pleaded innocent to all three counts.
View of American rapper and producer Kanye West (left) and retired professional football player Jim Brown, in the White House’s Oval Office, Washington DC, October 11, 2018. West wears a red baseball cap that reads ‘Make America Great Again.’ (Photo by Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)
View of American rapper and producer Kanye West (left) and retired professional football player Jim Brown, in the White House’s Oval Office, Washington DC, October 11, 2018. West wears a red baseball cap that reads ‘Make America Great Again.’ (Photo by Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)

Despite his involvement in the civil rights movement, he had countless run-ins with the law. He was on trial for assault and battery in 1965 and acquitted of a separate assault in 1969. In 1985, he was charged with rape, sexual battery and assault, but charges were later dropped. In 1986, he was arrested for allegedly beating his fiancée and was convicted of destroying his wife’s car in 1999.

In 1988, he created the Amer-I-Can program as a means to transform gang members “from destructive to productive members of society.” He also championed for modern athletes to be more involved in the Black community.

VIBE sends our deepest condolences to the Brown family during this time.

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