The Cleveland Browns began in 1946 in the NFL-rival league the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). The AAFC was full of former NFL players and coaches and over their four-year history paid more and subsequently signed over 60% of the best incoming college talent.
The Browns won the AAFC title in 1946 and also in 1947 under head coach Paul Brown.
In 1948, receiver Dub Jones joined Cleveland and played eight seasons with the Browns, then moved to the sidelines and coached six years. On November 2, 2024, Jones passed away at the age of 99.