Why Jim Brown is the Best Athlete Ever

Jim Brown was an Athlete Ahead of His Time

Jim Brown was an athlete ahead of his time. His accomplishments set him apart from other athletes because he set the standard by which all others are measured. Not only did he excel on the football field, but he also did well at other sports. I believe one of his most spectacular feats was never missing a game during his nine year professional football career. Jim Brown was a running back who dished out more punishment then he took. His never-quit-running attitude far outshines many of today's "prima donna" athletes. No question about his talent and guts. Jim Brown always came to play on game day. 

It was almost 50 years ago that he blazed the trail for others to follow. Few running backs, during the last five decades, have matched his performance. With 230 pounds of muscle packed onto his 6-foot-2 frame, he was a dynamo on the field. Explosive and powerful, he would just keep moving forward until he was finally tackled. No dodging out of bounds for Jim Brown. With his size, he would fit right in with the modern backs of today. And no doubt outrun them all. 

Back in the late fifties, when he began his career, defenses were more geared toward stopping the run. Compare that to today, where there is much more emphasis put on the passing game. Some may say that Jim Brown is undeserving because he only played football for nine years. During the first four years of his career, the regular season was only 12 games long. Then it expanded to 14 games. Still, I believe with his physique and stamina, he could have played a 16 game season without any problem. Jim Brown lead the entire league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. 

His statistics are a matter of record and attest to his superior abilities as an athlete. He still holds many records including a 104 yard average per-game and a 5.2 yard average per-carry. Had he played 16 game seasons, he quite possibly could have amassed another 2,700 yards in his nine years of playing. That would have given him about 15,000 yards over a nine year career. Well at the level of play or better than any modern player over the last 40 years.