Mac Speedie, a Browns legend and five-time champion, is set to receive Hall of Fame recognition during a special weekend in Cleveland.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday that Speedie, as well as eight other members from either the Centennial Class of 2020 or Class of 2021, will be posthumously honored during "Hall of Famer Forever: Enshrinement Special," a 90-minute broadcast that will air Saturday, May 1, on NFL Network and Tuesday, May 4, on ESPN2. The show will be recorded Wednesday, April 28 — the eve of the 2021 NFL Draft, which will be held in Cleveland.
The show will feature an exclusive video montage of each enshrinee and the unveiling of his Bronzed Bust in Canton. After the show, the families of each enshrinee will place the Bronzed Bust on display in the Hall of Fame Gallery inside the Museum. Many special guests and dignitaries, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, will be in attendance to honor these heroes of the game.
Speedie became the 17th Browns Hall of Famer in February 2020 and was the first to be inducted since Gene Hickerson in 2007.
Originally drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1942, Speedie didn't begin his professional career until 1946 after serving in World War II. He joined the Browns in their first season in the AAFC and provided an immediate impact, starting in 10 games and catching seven touchdowns. He went on to win five total championships (four in the AAFC, one in the NFL), made six All-Pro teams, led his league in receptions four times and receiving yards twice. Speedie had a record-setting 99-yard touchdown in the 1947 season and established every major receiving record in the AAFC's four-year history.
Speedie, who passed away at the age of 73 in 1993, finished his career with 349 catches, 5,602 yards and 33 touchdowns. He was a member of the 1940s All-Decade team and was honored as a Browns Legend in 2002, the second year of the program.
Speedie will also be recognized this summer during enshrinements for the Centennial Class of 2020 on Aug. 7 in Canton.
