Jim Brown, one of the best players in NFL history and a social activist, passed away at the age of 87.

Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Jim Brown, a legendary running back who retired at the top of his game to become an actor and civil rights activist in the 1960s, died. Aged 87.

[{"selector":"#anim-f1a27564-d446-429d-97ac-e5348abbc6f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ffeb685-dec1-4723-8649-ad81f31ab230","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bc5eea4-c937-44d2-a6f5-5b8f66106b58 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

A family spokeswoman said that Brown died peacefully Thursday night in his Los Angeles home with his wife Monique by his side.

[{"selector":"#anim-5c200244-6ec5-4d57-b635-5f4082ce990d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8af1043f-16b7-4970-b794-cd3b0d757685","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e7bd7ab8-5e54-4dfd-88e2-e31e35b5c4fe","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Monique Brown stated on Instagram that he was an activist, actor, and football star. Our family loved him. Broken hearts.”

[{"selector":"#anim-18b40160-265d-4549-9702-2bfdfa9e5777 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c867e645-fb4c-479f-a57c-3492c673b592","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-133b950c-71d3-45da-9dce-92c9982fb915","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

In his brief career from 1957 to 1965, Brown became one of the earliest football superstars and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player that year.

[{"selector":"#anim-f3065faa-8f28-43db-9830-b2a8e09df777 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d513b235-3241-4e1c-a9c8-f3534527e003","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c6e7ed9-5396-42ef-af82-87b1e53966e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Brown led the Cleveland Browns to their last NFL championship in 1964. After the 1965 season, he retired at the top of his game to become an actor.

[{"selector":"#anim-9d5c82a1-1232-4986-84f6-c0f2bd34dfee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb28b626-9678-4ac0-8390-866976ceb789","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4883d3b-276d-41f2-bd4f-b781963074e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

He has roles in over 30 different movies, some of the more notable ones being "Any Given Sunday" and "The Dirty Dozen."

[{"selector":"#anim-e13cf176-0c34-4012-b6b0-4ca3d4e59a2f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ecede01-eef1-4df3-af28-ba06dba6b191","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-350f93d7-41ef-4036-b573-e7220d9d2ffa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Brown was a strong runner with speed and stamina. When he joined the team, the game became more popular on TV.

[{"selector":"#anim-e6a64211-2e8d-4e66-8d73-cd31ba5116e7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aee68a43-52f1-461d-9b6c-d8bc62380035","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66f8768a-611e-4616-b68b-7f56a74179e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

Brown made use of his platform and voice to advocate for the rights of African-Americans during the time that they were fighting for equality.

[{"selector":"#anim-490efa84-62e2-402b-afa9-aa1eefe8e6a3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f9b34c9-088e-445e-a7d9-41ee9bdee8da","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df9367c3-50f4-4b5a-a101-1cf2ed2f73c1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images

A significant number of today's players are unable to recognize Brown's significance or grasp the impact he had on American sports.

[{"selector":"#anim-8e8344f1-4269-4a5e-82dd-63f3be78395a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e8ca41e-92a6-48d0-b3ee-3be5e66ec5b0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b158dde-c1c2-4361-8421-e3886ffba8f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Charley Gallay/Getty Images Check our Website