Moments in NFL history: Remembering a true game-changer
NFL
Published on : 2/17/2026
Many consider JIM BROWN not only one of the greatest football players of all time, but also one of greatest athletes of all time.
Born this week (Feb. 17) in 1936 in St. Simons Island, Georgia, Brown is remembered for the differences he made on the football field, changing the way the game was played; in the community, fighting for the rights of African Americans; and on the big screen, breaking down barriers for minority actors.
Although he was born in the Peach State, Brown’s legendary sports career started at Manhasset High School in New York. He earned 13 varsity letters over five sports and received all-state recognition in football. That success earned him a spot at Syracuse University, though unknown to Brown, without a scholarship.
Brown went on to earn that scholarship his sophomore season after nearly leaving the university. By the end of his collegiate career, Brown had left a legacy that included more than 2,000 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. In his senior year, 1956, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting behind fellow Hall of Famers PAUL HORNUNG (first) and TOMMY McDONALD (Third).
In the 1957 NFL Draft, Brown was selected sixth overall and joined the Cleveland Browns. (Hornung, LEN DAWSON and JIM PARKER also were selected in the first round of this draft. In all, nine future Hall of Famers were chosen in the 1957 draft class.) Jim Brown immediately found success under head coach PAUL BROWN.
“When you’ve got a big gun, why not fire it as often as possible?” Paul Brown once said, and he did just that.
In his rookie season, Jim Brown earned a Pro Bowl nod, first-team All-Pro status and was named the NFL’s MVP. It was only the beginning of an accolade-filled career. By the time Brown retired after nine seasons, his accomplishments included three MVPs, eight first-team All-Pro honors and nine invitations to the Pro Bowl. He later was elected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
Brown rushed for 12,312 yards, scored 106 touchdowns and to this day still holds the NFL record for rushing yards per game (104.3).
After leaving pro football, Brown moved to the big screen, with 58 acting credits, according to IMDB. He is most known for his roles in “Mars Attacks!,” “The Running Man,” “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.” For decades he continued as an activist for minority rights, a mission that included the famous summit he organized in Cleveland in 1967 that brought together Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, WILLIE DAVIS and other prominent Blacks who supported Muhammed Ali’s anti-Vietnam War position.
Upon Brown’s death in 2023 at age 87, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell summed up the thoughts of many when he said: “Jim Brown was a gifted athlete – one of the most dominant players to ever step on any athletic field – but also a cultural figure who helped promote change.”
This article from the Hall of Fame Communications Team is part of recurring series celebrating memorable moments in NFL history.
Born this week (Feb. 17) in 1936 in St. Simons Island, Georgia, Brown is remembered for the differences he made on the football field, changing the way the game was played; in the community, fighting for the rights of African Americans; and on the big screen, breaking down barriers for minority actors.
Although he was born in the Peach State, Brown’s legendary sports career started at Manhasset High School in New York. He earned 13 varsity letters over five sports and received all-state recognition in football. That success earned him a spot at Syracuse University, though unknown to Brown, without a scholarship.
Brown went on to earn that scholarship his sophomore season after nearly leaving the university. By the end of his collegiate career, Brown had left a legacy that included more than 2,000 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. In his senior year, 1956, he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting behind fellow Hall of Famers PAUL HORNUNG (first) and TOMMY McDONALD (Third).
In the 1957 NFL Draft, Brown was selected sixth overall and joined the Cleveland Browns. (Hornung, LEN DAWSON and JIM PARKER also were selected in the first round of this draft. In all, nine future Hall of Famers were chosen in the 1957 draft class.) Jim Brown immediately found success under head coach PAUL BROWN.
“When you’ve got a big gun, why not fire it as often as possible?” Paul Brown once said, and he did just that.
In his rookie season, Jim Brown earned a Pro Bowl nod, first-team All-Pro status and was named the NFL’s MVP. It was only the beginning of an accolade-filled career. By the time Brown retired after nine seasons, his accomplishments included three MVPs, eight first-team All-Pro honors and nine invitations to the Pro Bowl. He later was elected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team.
Brown rushed for 12,312 yards, scored 106 touchdowns and to this day still holds the NFL record for rushing yards per game (104.3).
After leaving pro football, Brown moved to the big screen, with 58 acting credits, according to IMDB. He is most known for his roles in “Mars Attacks!,” “The Running Man,” “Any Given Sunday” and “The Dirty Dozen.” For decades he continued as an activist for minority rights, a mission that included the famous summit he organized in Cleveland in 1967 that brought together Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, WILLIE DAVIS and other prominent Blacks who supported Muhammed Ali’s anti-Vietnam War position.
Upon Brown’s death in 2023 at age 87, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell summed up the thoughts of many when he said: “Jim Brown was a gifted athlete – one of the most dominant players to ever step on any athletic field – but also a cultural figure who helped promote change.”
This article from the Hall of Fame Communications Team is part of recurring series celebrating memorable moments in NFL history.
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