Ernie Green: NFL Champion, Breast Cancer Survivor, and Relentless Advocate

When football fans remember the Cleveland Browns’ 1964 NFL Championship team, they recall the punishing backfield duo of Jim Brown and Ernie Green. As a fullback, Green’s grit and versatility helped the Browns secure their last league title, etching his name into franchise history. But for Green, one of his most defining battles would not take place on the gridiron.

In 2005, decades after his playing days were over, Green was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news was shocking—not only because of its severity, but because breast cancer in men remains rare and often overlooked.

“I was stunned,” Green later shared. “You just don’t think of men getting breast cancer. But I did. And I knew I had to fight.”

Green underwent a mastectomy and endured months of chemotherapy. The same toughness that carried him through NFL practices and championship seasons fueled him through the draining rounds of treatment. Like many patients, he had to face fatigue, uncertainty, and the daunting stigma of a disease most often associated with women.

But he refused to let that stigma define him. “Cancer doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman,” Green has said. “What matters is early detection and getting the right treatment.”

Now 86 years old, Green has become a passionate voice for breast cancer awareness—especially for men, who may ignore symptoms or delay medical care because of fear or embarrassment. He uses every opportunity to share his story, hoping it will encourage others to pay attention to their health and speak up when something feels wrong.

His advocacy comes at a critical time: According to the American Cancer Society, about 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. men this year. While far fewer than women, men face a higher risk of late diagnosis because they often do not consider themselves at risk. Green’s voice cuts through silence and stigma.