Ernie Green

Ernest E. Green (born October 15, 1938) is an American former professional football player who was a halfback and fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals.

Early life Born and raised in Columbus, Georgia, Green is a 1958 graduate of Spencer High School. He was a star running back on the school's football team, senior class president and a member of the National Honor Society. He was honored as the first Greenwave football player to have his jersey number retired on January 20, 2018.

College Green attended the University of Louisville from 1958 to 1961, rushing for more than 1,500 yards in his college football career with the Cardinals and twice leading the team in that department, Earning him all American honors. He also excelled in baseball, spurning contract offers in order to remain on the gridiron.

Green Bay Packers In 1962 the reigning world champion Green Bay Packers drafted Green in the 14th round of the 1962 NFL draft. During training camp, they traded him to the Cleveland Browns where he would make a name for himself as one of the league's top running backs. and was twice named an NFL All-Pro.

In August 1968, Green injured his knee during a preseason contest in Los Angeles and missed the next two months. On his return, he saw only limited action due to lingering problems with the knee. Just after the end of the season, he underwent surgery to repair torn cartilage in the troublesome knee but was then advised to retire. He followed that advice and accepted the Browns' offer to coach their running backs.

In his seven-year NFL career, he gained 3,204 yards and caught 179 passes out of the backfield. Currently based in Columbus, Ohio, EGI branched out into parts for medical, consumer, energy and industrial devices. He has served on the board of directors of various enterprises including Eaton Corporation, Dayton Power & Light and the Duriron Company. He then became a breast cancer activist, educating other men about the disease and how it can affect not only women but men as well. His two older sisters were diagnosed with breast cancer, and one of them succumbed to the disease.