National Football League

Sports world reacts to legendary RB Jim Brown's death

Updated May. 19, 2023 6:45 p.m. ET

Jim Brown, the iconic running back who led the Cleveland Browns to their most recent NFL championship in 1964 and is widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time, as well as a powerful social activist off the field, has died at 87, his wife announced Friday.

A Pro Football Hall of Famer, Brown was selected to the NFL's 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time teams. His 12,312 career rushing yards were nearly 3,000 more than the next-closest player in NFL history when he retired, and currently stand as the 11th-most all time. His 106 career rushing touchdowns are sixth-most all time. Brown is also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame for his illustrious amateur career at Syracuse.

[Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown dies at 87]

Tributes poured out for Brown across the NFL and sports landscape upon news of his death Friday. Here are some of the reactions to the news: