All-time great Jim Brown dies aged 87

Pro Football Hall of Famer and NFL legend Jim Brown, who retired at the peak of his brilliant career to become an actor as well as a prominent civil rights advocate during the 1960s, has died at the age of 87.

Georgia-born Brown led the Cleveland Browns to the National Football League title in 1964 and was chosen as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player three times, having been selected in the first round of the 1957 draft.

Brown played nine seasons for the Browns between 1957 and 1965, leading the league in rushing eight of those years. He rushed for 12,312 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry over his career, and was also named a Pro Bowler every year he played.

He was one of the first superstars in the game as it gained in TV popularity, and was one of the most vocal elite black athletes on racial issues as the US civil rights movement gained momentum.

In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called Brown a “gifted athlete” who “became a forerunner and role model for athletes being involved in social initiatives outside their sports.”

“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,” the Browns said in a statement. “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.”