Age: 23
3rd
season in pro football & with Browns
College: Syracuse
Height: 6’2” Weight: 228
Prelude:
Following an
outstanding career at Syracuse, in which he distinguished himself as an
all-around athlete (lacrosse, basketball, track & field) as well as in
football, Brown was chosen in the first round of the 1957 NFL draft by the
Browns. With his blend of speed, power, and agility, he moved quickly into the
starting lineup as a rookie, leading the league in rushing with 942 yards that
included a single-game record at the time of 237. He received MVP as well as
Rookie of the Year honors, was a consensus first-team All-Pro and was selected
to the Pro Bowl. Brown followed that up in 1958 by setting a new single-season
rushing record with 1527 yards, again receiving MVP, first-team All-NFL, and
Pro Bowl honors.
1959 Season Summary
Appeared in
all 12 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Rushing
Attempts – 290
[1]
Most
attempts, game – 37 (for 147 yds.) at Chi. Cardinals 10/4
Yards – 1329
[1]
Most yards,
game – 178 yards (on 32 carries) at Baltimore 11/1
Average gain
– 4.6 [11]
TDs – 14 [1]
100-yard
rushing games – 8
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 24
Yards – 190
Average gain
– 7.9
TDs – 0
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 4
Yards – 88
Average per
return – 22.0
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 29 yards
All-Purpose
yards – 1607 [1]
Scoring
TDs – 14 [1,
tied with Raymond Berry]
Points – 84
[3, tied with Raymond Berry & Bobby Joe Conrad]
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: AP, NEA, UPI, NY Daily News, Sporting News
Pro Bowl
Browns went 7-5
to tie for second place with the Eagles in the NFL Eastern Conference while
leading the league in rushing yards (2149).
Aftermath:
Brown’s
rushing title in 1959 was the third of eight in nine seasons, which included
1960 and ‘61. Along the way he set numerous records as well as a new standard
for running backs to be measured against. Following a relatively down year in
1962, Brown broke his own single-season rushing record in 1963 and, after
compiling two more league-topping performances in 1964 and ’65, retired as the NFL’s
all-time leader in rushing (12,312 yards) and touchdowns (126). Brown averaged
5.2 yards per carry and 104.3 yards per game over the course of his career. He
was selected to the Pro Bowl in all nine seasons, was a first-team All-Pro
eight times, and received MVP recognition on four occasions. Brown’s #32 was
retired by the Browns and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
Class of 1971.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
