Dec. 19, 1963 - Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns today was voted the 1963 NFL player of the year by United Press International. Brown, coming back after an off-year — by his own lofty standards — in 1962, had the best of his seven pro seasons. He became the first player in the league to rush for a mile of yardage, gaining a record total of 1,863 yards with a 6.4-average for 291 carries. Brown received 22 votes, compared to 19 for the Giants’ quarterback Y.A. Tittle, who was the UPI player of the year in 1962. This was the second time Brown had won the UPI honor. He previously was named in 1958, the season he set the 1,527-yard record that he broke this year. In addition to his rushing, the 230-pound Brown caught 24 passes for a total of 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. He scored 12 more touchdowns by rushing to rank fifth with 91 points. Brown had the longest run from scrimmage this season, 80 yards against the Washington Redskins. The following week against the Dallas Cowboys, he gained 232 yards for the best single-game performance of the year. He gained 95 or more yards in 11 games. The Browns led the Eastern Division after winning their first six games, but they could do no better than break even in their last eight. They finished second to the Giants to qualify for the Playoff (Runner-Up) Bowl at Miami on January 5.
