COLLINS, SCHARATH HAVE ALSO FALLEN THROUGH THE HOF CRACKS

By STEVE KING

Mac Speedie fell through the cracks.

That’s why it took the former Browns wide receiver so long – until last year, with his formal induction having been postponed to this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic – to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Until now, he’s been stuck in the proverbial Hall of the Very Good for all these years, even decades.

What a shame.

And the same thing – that is, being stuck below before where they should be when it comes to the Hall – has also happened to two other former Browns greats, wide receiver Gary Collins and left tackle Dick Schafrath.

I have written this before, and I will continue to write it again and again and again, however long it takes to get an awareness of them and their careers during the Browns’ heyday of the 1960s and just how worthy they are of HOF enshrinement. They check all the necessary boxes.

Collins, who was taken in the first round, at No. 4 overall, in the 1962 NFL Draft in HOF head coach Paul Brown’s final draft in Cleveland, played 10 NFL seasons (1962-71), all with the Browns.

At a time when the rules permitted defenders to mug receivers, thus making passing and receiving statistics far, far less than what they’ve been for the last 20 years, Collins caught 331 passes, second-most in team history behind Hall of Famer Ozzie’s Newsome’s 662, for a franchise-best 70 touchdowns. That’s right, 70 TDs.

He was at his best in the biggest game of his life, catching three scoring passes the 27-0 blowout of the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts in the 1964 NFL Championship Game.

The production of Collins and fellow HOF wideout Paul Warfield kept defenses honest and opened up running lanes for HOF backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly.

Schafrath, a product of Wooster High School and Ohio State who made the Pro Bowl six straight times, all in a row, in a career that spanned from 1959-71, blocked for Brown and Kelly and protected the blind side of Frank Ryan, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for five straight seasons.

And in addition, what Schafrath — and Collins — did counted heavily in terms of team success as well. In the eight-year period from 1964-71, the Browns made it to the playoffs six times and qualified for four NFL title games, winning the title once.

As such, then, it’s high time – actually, it’s way past high time – that Dick Schafrath and Gary Collins get recognized for their accomplishments by receiving the highest individual award in the sport, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  

 Camp Notes 8-8-21

• The Browns held their annual Orange & Brown practice at FirstEnergy Stadium.

• The following players did not practice today due to injury: S Grant Delpit (hamstring), Tony Fields II (foot), S Ronnie Harrison Jr. (hamstring), WR Alexander Hollins (hamstring), LB Montrel Meander (hamstring), S Sheldrick Redwine (ankle), WR Anthony Schwartz (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker Jr. (knee).

• The following player did not finish practice today due to injury: DL Malik McDowell (oblique).

• Today’s Orange & Brown Practice marks two years since the launch of the “Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day!” Network. Through Aug. 21, including the Orange & Brown Practice, fans can participate in the “Stay in the Game!” 50/50 training camp raffle. Tickets are available via the Browns Mobile App or Browns5050.com, as well as at kiosks onsite at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus and FirstEnergy Stadium. The “Stay in the Game!” Network and Shoes and Clothes for Kids have partnered again for the 50/50 raffle throughout the 2021 season and receive a portion of the net proceeds.

• The Cleveland Browns Foundation hosted its annual Locker Room Sale in the 7UP City Club during the Orange & Brown Practice. All proceeds from sold merchandise – including previous season jerseys, apparel, promotional items and former player signed items – benefit the “Stay in the Game!” Network. The Browns have also donated all of the team’s net proceeds from sales at FirstEnergy Stadium’s Pro Shop, as well as during training camp, since April 2017 to benefit local educational and youth football initiatives.

• During the Orange & Brown Practice, the Browns also highlighted the “Stay in the Game!” Network in unique ways. Through the program, the Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed. The statewide initiative is designed to promote the importance of school attendance and help put an end to chronic absenteeism. The team engages local school districts and promotes quality education by using attendance data and feedback from families to build a school-going culture, uncover and reduce common barriers to attendance and support engagement opportunities for students to thrive.