 The franchise was founded in 1945 by Brown and businessman Arthur B. McBride as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).The Browns dominated the AAFC, compiling a 47–4–3 record in the league's four seasons and winning its championship in each.When the AAFC folded after the 1949 season, the Browns joined the NFL along with the San Francisco 49ers and the original Baltimore Colts.