NFL pioneer Jim Brown died at the age of 87 in his Los Angeles home Thursday night. The former Browns running back “passed peacefully,” according to his wife, Monique Brown.
Considered the greatest running back in league history, Brown spent his entire nine-year career in Cleveland, picking up MVP awards, Pro Bowl selections and the team’s lone championship in 1964.
Over the decades, Sports Illustrated has captured Brown’s career and impact—his playing days, acting and activism, and controversial personal life. Below is some of the best from the pages of SI.
