Cleveland Browns legend and NFL champion Paul Wiggin passed away at the age of 91 on December 13 due to natural causes.

“We’re saddened by the loss of Paul Wiggin, a two-time Pro Bowler and Browns Legend who spent his entire 11-year playing career in Cleveland,” the Browns wrote in a post to X on Saturday.

Wiggin was the fourth-oldest NFF Hall of Famer, and news of his passing shook the football community, emphasized by NFF Chairman Archie Manning's statement.

"Paul Wiggin represented everything the NFF College Football Hall of Fame aspires to honor, specifically excellence on the field, leadership on the sidelines, and a lifelong commitment to the game. His impact on college football spanned generations, and he leaves behind a legacy that will long be remembered. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing."

Having played for Stanford between 1954 and 1956, the two-time All-American defensive tackle was named the school's Defensive Player of the Century. Later in 1957, he was picked up by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL draft.

In his 11 seasons, Wiggin did not miss a game, playing all 146 games and appearing in two Pro Bowls: 1965 and 1967. When the Cleveland Browns won the 1964 NFL Championship, he played a key role in the defensive line.

After his lengthy NFL career, Wiggin took up the coaching job, working with the 49ers, the Chiefs, the Saints, and the Vikings. He even returned to Stanford as a coach. Wiggin was on the sidelines during the infamous 'The Play' when the Stanford band prematurely took the field.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005 and later into the Cleveland Browns Legends program as a member of the Class of 2008.

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar