Long Island native Jim Brown has been synonymous with sports glory for decades, but the average American sports fan probably isn’t aware of his deep roots with the game of lacrosse.
A native of Manhasset, N.Y., Brown hails from one of the most tradition drenched lacrosse communities in the world. He went on to play at Syracuse and is now in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Still, his days as an NFL player are what gave Brown center stage status in American sports history.

That was until last week when the legendary figure made lacrosse headlines again, as he was part of the group that bought the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. The Lizards were sold to an investor group, which includes Medallion Financial Corp. and Brown.

“Not everyone knows this, but lacrosse has always been my favorite sport along with football,” Brown said in a statement. “I started playing at Manhasset High School, not too far from the Lizards’ home field at Hofstra in Hempstead.”

Brown was an All-American at Syracuse and led the Orange to an undefeated season during his senior campaign. He has seen the massive growth in lacrosse over the last decade and wants to regain that spirit he’s had with the game all his life.

“This sport is ready to explode and I am proud to be a part of it,” he said.