 In 1945 , Brown was hired by Arthur B. McBride as the first coach of the Cleveland Browns , a team under formation in the new All @-@ America Football Conference ( AAFC ) . Brown hired Collier as a backfield coach for the team , which was set to begin play in 1946 . Initially his specialty was pass defense , but Brown soon rewarded Collier 's extensive football knowledge with a broader assistant coaching assignment . 
