| 1949 Cleveland Browns season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Arthur B. McBride |
| Head coach | Paul Brown |
| Home field | Cleveland Stadium |
| Local radio | WGAR |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–1–2 |
| Division place | 1st AAFC |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Bills) 31–21 Won AAFC Championship (vs. 49ers) 21–7 |
| AP All-Pros | Otto Graham Mac Speedie |
The 1949 Cleveland Browns season was the team's fourth and final season in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). The Browns finished the regular season with a 9–1–2 win–loss–tie record and beat the San Francisco 49ers to win their fourth straight league championship. In the season's sixth game on October 9, the 49ers stopped the Browns' professional football record unbeaten streak at 29 games. It began two years earlier on October 19, 1947, and included two league championship games and two ties.
Cleveland made numerous roster moves before the season, adding tackle Derrell Palmer, linebacker Tommy Thompson, and defensive back Warren Lahr, all of whom remained with the team for many years. Prior to the season, it was clear that the AAFC was struggling and might not survive beyond 1949. The regular season was shortened to twelve games and a new playoff system was introduced, with the top four teams competing in a two-week (semifinals, final) postseason.
The Browns began the season with a tie against the Buffalo Bills, but won their next four games. Following their loss to the 49ers in the sixth game of the season, the Browns won all but one of their remaining regular-season games, another tie with the Bills. The team finished atop the AAFC standings and faced the Bills in a league semi-final that they won, 31–21. The Browns then beat the 49ers in the championship game, shortly after AAFC and National Football League (NFL) owners agreed to a deal where the Browns, 49ers, and Baltimore Colts would join the NFL in 1950, and the rest of the AAFC teams would cease to exist.
Browns quarterback Otto Graham, end Mac Speedie, and linebacker Lou Saban were named to sportswriters' All-Pro lists after the season, while head coach Paul Brown was named AAFC coach of the year by Sporting News. Graham led the league in passing for the third time in a row, while Speedie was the league leader in yards and receptions. Fullback Marion Motley was the AAFC's all-time leading rusher. While the Browns were successful in the AAFC, winning all four of its championships, many people doubted that they could match up against NFL teams. Cleveland went on to win the 1950 NFL championship.