Cleveland Browns: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Greatest players in Cleveland Browns history: 16. Gene Hickerson

Another guard for the Browns comes in, this time it’s Gene Hickerson. A seventh-round pick in 1957, Hickerson spent his entire career with Cleveland, starting 183 games.

He blocked for some of the greatest to wear the uniform like Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and LeRoy Kelly. Hickerson made such an impact on their lives, that the three men helped Hickerson later in life when he was battling dementia.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, Hickerson wasn’t able to give a speech and had to be brought in on a wheelchair. His son gave a heartfelt acceptance speech, then the three men he led to daylight during their playing days let him lead them on stage one last time. The story is told by Steve King of ClevelandBrowns.com:

"At the end of Bob Hickerson’s speech, one of the greatest moments in HOF history took place when Brown, Mitchell and Kelly — the men for whom Gene Hickerson had blocked all those years — joined together to wheel their ailing former teammate out to center stage. It was finally their turn to do the heavy work — to clear a path and help him to get where he needed to go, out there to hear the roar of the crowd one more time. Kelly just nodded his head approvingly. Mitchell, who left the Browns via a trade after the 1961 season but said he will always consider himself a Cleveland Brown first and foremost, pumped his fist. Brown, who campaigned so hard for Hickerson, just took it all in.” — King, Cleveland Browns official team website"

Sadly he passed in 2008, but as for his work on the field which included six Pro Bowls and a spot on the 1960s All-Decade Team, Hickerson will never be forgotten.