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'RIP to an Ohio legend': Urban Meyer, Gene Smith remember NFL legend Jim Brown

Colin Gay, The Columbus Dispatch
·3 min read
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Urban Meyer honored an Ohio legend Friday afternoon.

The former Ohio State football coach reacted to the death of former Cleveland Browns and first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown at age 87.

"Saddened to hear the passing of Jim Brown," Meyer wrote along with a picture of him and Brown. "RIP to an Ohio legend. Prayers and condolences from our family to the Brown family during this difficult time."

Brown retired from football in 1971 as the NFL's all-time leading rusher (12,312 yards), earning eight unanimous first-team all-pro selections and nine Pro Bowl honors in nine seasons. He was a four-time NFL MVP and eight-time rushing champion who never missed a game and averaged 104.3 rushing yards per contest. He has a statue outside FirstEnergy Stadium.

Brown helped the Browns to the NFL championship in 1964, the organization's most recent title.

Brown was drafted by the Browns at sixth overall in 1957 before earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors.

Jim Brown is shown before a 2019 game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns.
Jim Brown is shown before a 2019 game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns.

Brown was also a unanimous All-American running back at Syracuse, where the team later retired his No. 44 jersey. he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Brown was also a movie star, acting in more than 50 film and TV roles including "The Dirty Dozen" and "100 Rifles." He also made an impact as a social activist, joining Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and many Black athletes from his era in supporting Muhammad Ali, who was stripped of his championship title after objecting to joining the military efforts int he Vietnam War in 1967. He also founded Amer-I-Can, an organization that assistant former prison inmates develop life skills that aided transition after serving sentences.

Brown was associated with multiple cases of alleged domestic assault.

Gene Smith, LeBron James honor Jim Brown

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith also honored Brown with a tweet.

"RIP Jim Brown- an inspiration to all," Smith wrote. "Thank you JB for all you gave us."

NBA star LeBron James offered his thoughts on Instagram, saying "we lost a hero" in Brown.

"If you grew up in Northeast Ohio and were Black, Jim Brown was a God," James added. "As a kid who loved football, I really just thought of him as the greatest Cleveland Brown to ever play. Then I started my own journey as a professional athlete and realized what he did socially was his true greatness. When I choose to speak out, I always think about Jim Brown. I can only speak because Jim broke down those walls for me.

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"I am so grateful that I was able to call you my friend. I hope I can continue to honor your legacy with my words and actions. My prayers to your family. I know they are all incredibly proud of everything you did for our community! #LegendsNeverDie."

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Urban Meyer, Gene Smith remember NFL legend Jim Brown