A Titan of Two Sports: Honoring Jim Brown's impact on football and lacrosse

NFL Hall of Famer and all-time great Jim Brown passed away on May 18^th, 2023, aged 87, having battled dementia.

Brown was selected to the NFL 100 all-time team and ranked number one in the college football top 150 list.

Brown played all nine of his NFL seasons with the Cleveland Browns, leading them to the championship game on three occasions and winning the Super Bowl in 1964.

The NFL legend led the league in rushing in eight of his nine years, rushing for 12,312 yards and being named a Pro Bowler in every season he played.

Brown was named MVP in three seasons, being named the best player in the league for a third of his career, exposing his dominance in the game.

The multi-sport athlete was a pioneer in athletes speaking up for social justice, organizing 'The Cleveland Summit,' a meeting between the best black athletes in the country in 1967, which supported Muhammed Ali's fight against serving in Vietnam.

According to espn.com, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said: "Brown became a forerunner and role model for athletes being involved in social initiatives outside their sports."

As well as a Hall of Fame career in football, Jim Brown is regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, securing Hall of Fame honors in both sports.

The two-time Hall of Fame athlete was a lacrosse three-time all-star at Manhasset high school and two-time All-American at Syracuse University.

Picture – YouTube @Pat Gregoire

In his junior year at Syracuse, Brown scored 30 goals in the season, earning him a spot as a second-team All-American.

Picture – YouTube @Pat Gregoire

Jim Brown's senior year as a lacrosse player turned him into one of the best, scoring 43 goals and 21 assists, was awarded first-team All-American, and led Syracuse to a 10-0 record.

Picture – YouTube @LaxSchool

His incredible senior year in lacrosse and his continued superiority in football led Brown to pick up the Athlete of the Year award.

Brown would frequently carry the ball with his stick placed close to his chest, combining that with his speed and strength was a nightmare for defenders. Because of this, lacrosse changed the rules, such that players were required to keep their sticks in motion.

Picture – YouTube @Premier Lacrosse League

Jim Brown is the only athlete in history to be inducted into the pro football, college football, and national lacrosse hall of fame.

His legendary tenure in lacrosse shines no brighter than the fact his name is the current namesake of the Premier Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player Award.

According to laxfarmer.com, Brown famously said: "I'd rather play lacrosse six days a week and football on the seventh."