That note, though, hasn't appeared since the 1980s. A move to include the AAFC's statistics picked up steam in 2019, when the NFL celebrated its 100th anniversary and dove deep into its history. That effort stalled when COVID-19 struck in 2020, and everyone's attention was diverted to merely getting through the season. But the push was recently revived and more data was uncovered. In 1949, the AAFC published a statistical record that included single game records for all four seasons and the game scoresheets have been recovered. The NFL league office conducted a review and, after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it decided it was time to correct the oversight.

The most significant adjustment will be to Brown's coaching record. In the 2024 NFL record and fact book, Brown is credited with 21 seasons, 166 regular season wins, four postseason wins (for a career total of 170 wins) and three championships. But Brown coached the Cleveland Browns to the championship in every one of the AAFC's four seasons. He won 47 regular season games in the AAFC, and nine additional postseason games. His career total, then, should be 222 victories and seven overall championships. The 222 victories will vault him up the all-time wins list. In the 2024 NFL record and fact book, Brown was in 21st place. With the AAFC adjustment, he will be in seventh place, just behind Curly Lambeau, who had 229 overall victories, and just ahead of Chuck Noll, with 209. Given Brown's outsized influence on coaching -- he is credited with, among other things, beginning the practice of using film analysis to grade players and calling plays from the sideline -- it is hard to imagine anyone quibbling with Brown's new rank.