Jim Benton was one of the first true stars for the Cleveland Rams after they selected him out of Arkansas in the 1938 Draft. As a rookie, he led the NFL in yards per reception, even though his 418 yards look modest by today’s standards. The game was different then, and Benton quickly showed he could stretch the field. In 1939 he led the league in touchdown receptions with seven and earned a Pro Bowl selection. After a solid 1940 season, he stepped away for a year to coach high school football, something more common in that era when salaries were low.

He returned in 1942, but World War II depleted rosters and the Rams suspended operations. Benton spent 1943 with the Chicago Bears, helping them win the NFL Championship. He came back to Cleveland when the Rams resumed play in 1944 and immediately re-established himself as a dangerous end. Benton had a long reach and reliable hands, and he specialized in big downfield plays rather than piling up short catches.

The 1945 season was the high point of his career with the Rams. He led the NFL with 1,067 receiving yards in only nine games and earned First-Team All-Pro honors. On Thanksgiving, he caught 10 passes for 303 yards against Detroit, a single-game record that stood for decades. Benton also contributed in the championship game as Cleveland beat Washington for the title. The next year the franchise moved to Los Angeles, and Benton led the league again in receiving yards with 981 while also topping the NFL in receptions with 63. He earned another All-Pro selection. 

Benton played one more season in Los Angeles before retiring after 1947. As a Ram, he finished with 4,566 receiving yards. At the time of his retirement, he ranked second all-time in the NFL in receiving yards, behind only Don Hutson. Those numbers were exceptional for an era that still favored the run.

Benton was named to the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team. He won two championships, one with the Bears and one with the Rams, and his big-play ability helped the franchise establish itself both in Cleveland and after the move to Los Angeles.