Jim Brown Would’ve Been 90 — And He’s Still No. 1

I’ve seen them called heavenly birthdays. They are birthdays for people who have passed away.

With that in mind, then, Jim Brown would’ve turned 90 on Tuesday. He was born Feb. 17, 1936.

When I was working for the Browns, we referred to him simply as “The Greatest.” When we did that, everybody knew who we meant. And it was a fitting nickname, for indeed, he was the greatest football player ever, not just the greatest running back of all-time, but also the greatest player of all-time at any position.

Jim Brown was a man among boys on the football field 🐐 pic.twitter.com/fNBave4RDu
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) February 13, 2026

I want to be respectful and not disparaging, but those who disagree with that statement have either never watched him, or don’t really understand what they’re seeing.

I looked at some old film of him running in games, mostly against the New York Giants, who had the best defense in the NFL at that time. Brown was running through them, past them and around them. It was just incredible. Even those of us who saw him play are astonished when we go back and watch those clips, because you really forget just how good he was.

He was an interesting guy, no doubt. Not only was he a tremendous football player, but he was very smart. There will never be another player like him, of that you can be sure. He is the standard by which all running backs are measured, and have been measured ever since he retired just before the 1966 season.

Steve King

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