Jim Brown, one of the greatest players in NFL history, has passed away. Brown, 87, died in his home in Los Angeles.
The South Carolina native was best known for his time as a record-breaking running back with the Cleveland Browns. He retired in 1964 as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher.
Prior to turning pro, he was a prolific running back at Syracuse at a time when much of college football was segregated. While he did not attend HBCUs on his own, several of his children attended and competed at them.
Brown’s eldest son, Jim N. Brown, played basketball at North Carolina A&T back in the 1980s. He started his career at Southern California, where he averaged just over one point per game.
Jim Brown Jr. transferred across the country to A&T and became an integral part of a program that dominated the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. He helped A&T claim back-to-back MEAC titles in 1984 and 1985, averaging 18.3 points on 53 percent shooting from the field while helping the program make the NCAA Tournament.
Jim Brown was also a legendary lacrosse player. His son Airis committed to playing lacrosse at Hampton University in 2020. He was a part of the squad as recently as 2022.