photo courtesy of the Cleveland Browns
Jim Brown has passed away. The former Cleveland NFL player died peacefully on May 18 at age 87 in his own home in Hollywood Hills, California.
Brown’s wife confirmed the news of his passing in a post on social media the day after. Brown is survived by his wife, Monique, their two children and three other children from a previous marriage. She wrote,
“To the world, he was an activist, actor and football star. To our family, he was a loving and wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Our hearts are broken.”As reported by the NFL, Brown is regarded as one of the greatest NFL players ever to take the championship. After winning back in 1964, Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971, winning eight first-team all-pro selections, four MVPs, and nine Pro Bowl honors during his nine seasons in the NFL. Brown retired as the league’s all-time leading rusher at 12,312 yards.
Brown’s career as an activist outside the NFL left many feeling his absence. People touched by his work took to Twitter to give their condolences.