Mac Speedie

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Speedie grew up in Utah, where he overcame Perthes Disease to become a standout as a hurdler on his high school track team and a halfback on the football team. He attended the University of Utah, where he continued to excel at track and football before entering the military in 1942 during World War II. He spent four years in the service before joining the Browns in 1946, where he played as an end opposite quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley and fellow receiver Dante Lavelli. The Browns, a new team in the AAFC, won the league championship every year between 1946 and 1949. The Browns merged into the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC disbanded, and Speedie continued to succeed as the team won another league championship. After two more years with the Browns, however, Speedie left the team for the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) amid a conflict with Paul Brown, Cleveland's head coach. He played two full seasons in the WIFU and one game in a third season before leaving professional football. Speedie was hired in 1960 as an end coach for the Houston Oilers in the American Football League (AFL). The Oilers won the AFL championship that year, but Speedie left in 1961 after the head coach, former teammate Lou Rymkus, was fired. He then took a job as an assistant for the AFL's Denver Broncos and was promoted to head coach in 1964. His two-year run with the team was unsuccessful, however. After his resignation in 1966, Speedie became a scout for the Broncos, a job he kept until his retirement in 1982. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame of 2020.

In Their Own Story

The Cleveland Browns entered the AAFC in 1946 as a new team, and Speedie joined immediately after being signed by Jackie Ranen for $7,000. In that inaugural season, he caught the first touchdown in the league's existence during a 44–0 win over the Miami Seahawks. The Browns won the league championship every year between 1946 and 1949. However, off-field drama occasionally erupted; during the week before the 1946 championship game against the New York Yankees, Speedie and teammates Lou Rymkus and Jim Daniell were arrested after an argument with Cleveland police while waiting for Speedie's wife to return from Utah. While Brown kicked Daniell off the team, Speedie was not punished by the franchise despite being held in custody for several hours. The Browns merged into the NFL in 1950 and won another championship that year, silencing skeptics who doubted their AAFC success. Speedie led the league in receiving in 1951 but missed the championship game due to injury. After two more years with the team, including a Pro Bowl selection in 1952, he departed for Canada amid conflicts with Brown's domineering style.

Reader's Guide

Speedie was a key offensive weapon for the Browns, known for his speed and deceptive running style. He led the AAFC in receptions in 1947, 1948, and 1949, and led the NFL in receiving in 1951. He was named first-team All-AAFC four times (1946–1949) and first-team All-NFL once (1950), totaling five first-team all-league selections. His career receiving yards over seven seasons were 5,602, averaging 800 yards per season. His per-game average was 80.0 yards over 70 games. He tied a professional football record with a 99-yard touchdown pass from Otto Graham on October 3, 1948, against the Buffalo Bills. His 1,146 receiving yards in 1947 set an AAFC record but did not surpass Don Hutson's NFL record of 1,211 yards.

Did You Know?

• Speedie caught the first touchdown in the AAFC's existence in the Browns' opening game against the Miami Seahawks.
• He once had 228 receiving yards in a game against the New York Yankees, which remains a Browns record.
• Speedie was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 15th round of the 1942 NFL Draft but never played for them.
• He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.