Cleveland Browns Pay Tribute to Chadwick Boseman and His ‘Draft Day’ Character

Friday night, the family of actor Chadwick Boseman confirmed that he had passed away at the age of 43 due to colon cancer. They released a statement on his Twitter account and stunned people around the world. The Cleveland Browns responded to the news by posting a tribute to the player they selected in the NFL Draft.

The Browns retweeted the statement from Boseman’s family and referenced Vontae Mack, his character from the film Draft Day. In the Kevin Costner-helmed film, a fictional general manager trades up to select Mack out of the Ohio State University. This did not actually take place in real life, but Boseman still had the opportunity to spend time with the Browns. He even dressed up in pads and a uniform while posing for a photo with multiple players.

“What’s the possibility of you guys releasing ‘Special Edition’ Vontae Mack jerseys? I think it would be an amazing idea. And maybe all the proceeds of them could go to a charitable organization he supported. Like St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or American Cancer Society, etc…” one person commented on Twitter after seeing the Browns’ tribute. Several others weighed in and posted photos and videos from the fan-favorite film.

Along with the Browns, actor Kevin Costner also shared a tribute to his late co-star. He posted a photo of the two of them during a Draft Day press conference. “Heartbroken to hear of [Chadwick Boseman]’s passing. He was such a light to everyone around him and to the world. He leaves an incredible legacy,” Costner wrote.

The sports world posted a considerable number of tributes to Boseman following his death on Friday night. Several athletes and organizations talked about the impact that the actor made during his career. This includes NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace who said that waking up to the news of Boseman’s death was “devastating.”

Similarly, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton honored Boseman two separate times over the weekend. He set two lap records during a qualifying session and then did the Wakanda salute atop his Mercedes racecar. He then proceeded to win the Belgian GP and did the salute once more while on the podium.

“It’s been an emotional weekend, I want to dedicate this win to Chad and his family, he was such an inspiration and his legacy will live on. I’m posting this image because we must continue to fight for equality, nothing has changed yet and the battle continues [Black Lives Matter]” Hamilton tweeted on Sunday.