Cleveland Browns: 15 best running backs of all-time
By Randy Gurzi
player. 53. . FB. 1957-1965. Jim Brown. 1
It’s no surprise at all to see Jim Brown listed as the No. 1 running back in Browns history — as he was clearly the best ball carrier in their storied existence. The No. 6 overall pick out of Syracuse University in 1957, Brown was the second running back chosen that year after the Los Angeles Rams took USC’s Jon Arnett. That proved to be a huge mistake for Los Angeles, but Cleveland was more than happy with how things played out.
The rookie fullback took the league by storm and had 942 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie. That was one of only two seasons in his career where Brown didn’t top the 1,000-yard mark. The other was in 1962 when he had 996 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Brown was so hard to stop, he ended up leading the league in rushing in every season from 1957 through 1961 and then again from 1963 through 1965. During that span, Brown set the club record for yardage in a single season when he had 1,863 yards on the ground in 1963. To sum that up, he led the NFL in rushing in every season he played, except for one.
His final year in the league was in 1965 and the 29-year old continued to play hard. That year, he had 1,544 yards and 17 touchdowns. Brown finished with 12,312 yards and 106 touchdowns for Cleveland, with both those numbers eclipsing Leroy Kelly who is in second place for each category.
Next. 2019 Wide receiver prospects to consider. dark
Still considered the best player to ever wear the uniform, the Browns have a statue at the entrance of FirstEnergy Stadium dedicated to Jim Brown, who went on to have an acting career following his dominant time in the NFL.