Jim Brown's Retirement Game (1965)

Lore & Background

Jim Brown, in what would turn out to be his final year before his unexpected retirement in the offseason, rushed for 1,544 yards, 98 more than the year before, and scored 17 touchdowns. The Browns had a stretch in which they won nine of ten games, and they claimed the Eastern Conference championship with several weeks left.

In Their Own Story

The cold December air bit at the faces of thirty thousand fans packed into Municipal Stadium. Jim Brown stood in the huddle, helmet tucked under his arm for a moment, absorbing the silence before the roar returned. He knew this snap was different. There would be no next season, no draft, no future games to prepare for. When he took the handoff, the world seemed to slow down. Every step toward the end zone felt like a final testament to strength and speed.

Reader's Guide

The Browns' only two one-sided losses were a 42–7 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams (in which they rested many starters) and a 49–13 home loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The team could have very easily been 12–2.

Did You Know?

• Gary Collins led the Browns with 10 touchdown receptions in 1965, nearly half the team's total of 23.
• Quarterback Frank Ryan threw 18 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in 1965, with a passer rating of 75.3.
• The 1965 NFL Championship Game was the last title contest held before the advent of the Super Bowl.