Jim Brown Was NFL’s Best Player, Dynamic Civil Rights Activist

Jim Brown was the best player the NFL has ever seen. Arguments can be made for quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Joe Montana, but when it came time for a football player to assert himself and make a statement every time he touched the ball, nobody could come close to what Brown did in his 9-year career.

Brown died at the age of 87 Friday. The announcement of his death was made by his wife, Monique, and tributes poured in throughout the day.

Brown may have had an even bigger impact on civil rights and social awareness than he did on the football field, as evidenced by his activism and leadership.

Brown was never hesitant to speak out, as many athletes were during the 1950’s and ‘60s. He spoke up for black citizens and other minorities who were denied their rights on an every-day basis.

He was a key player with the Black Economic Union, an organization used to created careers for minorities by helping them get business loans so they could be self-sufficient.

Brown led prominent black athletes in their support for Muhammad Ali when a prison term for the heavyweight champion was likely after refused to be drafted based on his religious beliefs. He brought athletes and leaders like Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar together to show their support for Ali.

Abdul-Jabbar offered his memories of Brown, and the opportunity he provided to demonstrate his activism.

“When I was 20, Jim Brown invited me to attend the Cleveland Summit,” Abdul-Jabbar said in a statement. “This was my first public support for Muhammad Ali and it was the first of many steps I would take as a civil rights activist. Jim’s dedication to the fight for equal rights was a lifelong effort and something that enabled me to maintain our friendship for over 50 years. The world and I will miss him greatly.”

His off-the-field activities, including his impact as a ground-breaking actor, should never be discounted. But those who saw Brown perform on the football field were always impressed. Count Bill Belichick as one of Brown’s biggest supporters. The most accomplished NFL head coach believes Brown was the game’s best player.

The late Gale Sayers also ranked Brown at the top of the list. Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith were huge supporters of Brown. Both always sought out the great Cleveland running back at the annual Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton, Ohio.

Brown was a strong, powerful and fast runner with the football under his arm. He relished competition with the game’s toughest defensive players, including linebacker Sam Huff of the New York Giants and Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen of the Rams.

Huff spoke about the physical tools that Brown brought with him to the field, and his strength, power, speed, agility and instincts were all at the top of the charts. But it was his desire to get the extra yard on every snap that made him the best ever at his position.

“It was his desire to beat the man on the other side of the line of scrimmage,” Huff said. “Jim played like he wanted to destroy your will. He would simply hurt you when he ran over you, and that made it harder every time you had to face him.”

Brown basically confirmed everything that Huff said. His desire was to destroy an opponent’s will to tackle him.

“The only way to stop me would have been to get the best of me mentally,” Brown said. “I would have had to fear you. That never happened.”

His numbers were legendary. Brown retired after the 1965 season with a career record of 12,312 rushing yards, a number that stood for 19 years after his retirement until it was broken by Walter Payton. It took the great Payton 435 more carries to break that record than Brown had when he set it.

He was a four-time Most Valuable Player and he averaged 5.2 yards per carry every time he carried the ball. He averaged 104 rushing yards per game.

The game of football has never seen anyone like him, and it is unlikely that it ever will.