When Jim Brown told the Browns just as the 1966 training camp was beginning that he was retiring, it was jaw-dropping news and a huge blow to the team.

After all, he wasn’t just the greatest running back in pro football history, but rather also the best player overall, at any position.

Brown told head coach Blanton Collier not to worry, though, because the Browns would be just fine. He said Leroy Kelly would do a great job as his successor.

Huh? What? Leroy who?

Kelly was a little-known player who, after being taken in the eighth round of the 1964 NFL Draft out of tiny Morgan State, had seen only limited duty on offense. He was a great returner, in fact leading the league in both punt return average and touchdowns in 1965. But being a returner and a running back are two entirely different things.

Despite all that, Brown remained steadfast in his confidence in Kelly.

As it turned out with many things Brown said, he was right on point. Kelly was an instant sensation, rushing for well over 1,000 yards — no easy task in a 14-game schedule — in each of his first three seasons, leading the NFL in rushing in the last two years.

Kelly was so good, in fact, that he is one of four Browns running backs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with Brown, Marion Motley and Bobby Mitchell.

He is also the subject in Part 11 of this Roy Hobbs series of Browns players who came out of nowhere to do big things.

NEXT: On track for football greatness.

Steve King