View Full Version : 1948 Cleveland Browns' Perfect Season
Galloping Ghost
12-18-2007, 02:31 PM
The 1948 Cleveland Browns, while playing in the old AAFC, went 15-0 and won the league championship. We never hear about this great Browns team. All we hear is about the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The NFL doesn't recognize the Browns' perfect season. I think they should. The old AAFC was a very strong league. Though it only lasted four seasons during it's existence it drafted the majority of the top college players and had wealthier owners than the NFL. When the AAFC merged with the NFL for the 1950 season the Browns, 49ers, and Colt joined the league. In the Brown's very first NFL game they played the two time defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles. This was the first time that an AAFC team played an NFL team. Most thought the Eagle would easily defeated the Browns. Well, with Paul Brown's coaching, the Browns crushed the Eagles 35-10. The Brown went on to finish with an 11-2 record and win the NFL title. The Browns were technically an NFL expansion team in 1950 which I find a kind of funny. :D
Despite how incredible those Browns teams were, the rest of the league really doesn't match up well. Not to say the undefeated season was a fluke because of weak competition. I think they very well proved how good they were once they hit the NFL. Paul Brown is one of the top football geniuses of the century.
Galloping Ghost
12-19-2007, 09:59 AM
Despite how incredible those Browns teams were, the rest of the league really doesn't match up well. Not to say the undefeated season was a fluke because of weak competition. I think they very well proved how good they were once they hit the NFL. Paul Brown is one of the top football geniuses of the century.
I know the league was top heavy with the Browns, 49ers, Bills, and Colts. Were the rest of teams much weaker? I've been trying to find information about how many ex-AAFC players went on to the NFL. I think that might give us a gauge as to the quality of the AAFC. And, yes, Paul Brown was a football genius. His ideas created the professional football environment.
I know the league was top heavy with the Browns, 49ers, Bills, and Colts. Were the rest of teams much weaker? I've been trying to find information about how many ex-AAFC players went on to the NFL. I think that might give us a gauge as to the quality of the AAFC. And, yes, Paul Brown was a football genius. His ideas created the professional football environment.
A few of the teams folded outright. It was just hard with the talent so top-heavy.
Besides the Browns and their HOF-studded lineup, guys like Joe Perry did very well before making the move over. Art Donovan was a member of the original Colts. (great autobiography, btw.) I'm interested in looking this stuff up, myself.