GOAT of the Browns (Throwback Edition)
We’ve talked about Ben Roethlisberger to LeBron James, and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon. The GOAT we’ll be talking about this time around is a throwback– we’re talking about none other than Jim Brown. Jim Brown was a part of the Browns through the 1950s, and he had officially retired in the mid-60s. It is important to know the present-day GOATS, but learning about those who may have been swept under the rug is great if you’re a sports buff. So, why is Brown considered the GOAT to this day?
Accomplishments
Brown had many accomplishments throughout his career. He truly shines when we talk about numbers. This, alone, is the reason that he is still looked at as the greatest athlete of all time in some people's eyes. Jim Brown was the first player to hit the 100-rushing-touchdowns milestone. While he is not the only player to achieve this, he is one of only a few to do it. He is the only rusher in the NFL who was able to average around 100 yards for his career. Of the nine seasons that Brown played, each season he was voted into the Pro Bowl, which is extremely impressive. One of his biggest accomplishments was getting named the greatest running back of all time.
Greatest Running Back of All Time
Brown has been named the greatest running back of all time by many, and while others have since passed him, like Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith, his accomplishments have by far held up over time and are extremely impressive. Some argue that he is the greatest running back of all time due to his yard accomplishments and in his best rushing season, he averaged 133.1 yards– that yard number is the second highest single-season total ever. More than 50 years go by and only one other person has achieved this– that is a GOATED athlete.
Civil Rights Activist
While he had amazing statistics, and accomplishments, Brown is also a great person off the field. Being the greatest running back of all time is not easy, and we may never see someone as good as Brown in that sense, but, Brown has spent time on things more important than that. For example, being a civil rights activist. When he retired, he claimed, “I want more mental stimulation than I would have playing football. I want to have a hand in the struggle that is taking place in our country…” Someone who is a great player on the field and a great person off just adds to the GOAT factor.
Brown experienced a lot of achievements and beat many records. He is still in the talks of the GOAT conversation, and if you retired in the sixties and are still in conversation, what you did was monumental. Brown put into place records that are still actively being discussed today and has been vocal about social issues and activism. Brown is the Throwback GOAT for the Browns and he will continue on in the conversation despite leaving the game over 50 years ago.
