By Darin “Cleveland was the ideal choice for rounding out our league into ten clubs. We decided the size of the city, its football facilities, and location made it a natural for the Western Division.” ~ Former NFL Commissioner Joe Carr, February 12, 1937, introducing the Cleveland Rams as the newest NFL franchise.
The Rams were previously in the second rendition of the American Football League in 1936 and their exit was part of the collapse of that AFL.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer
Sat, Feb 13, 1937 ·Page 17
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The Cleveland Rams were founded in 1936 by Homer Marshman, originally playing in the second American Football League before joining the NFL in 1937. Despite early on-field struggles and a one-year suspension in 1943 due to World War II manpower shortages, the team achieved ultimate success in 1945. Led by star rookie quarterback Bob Waterfield, the Rams defeated the Washington Redskins 15–14 to win the NFL Championship.
Immediately after this victory, owner Dan Reeves moved the franchise to Los Angeles for the 1946 season, citing financial losses and poor attendance. The team remained in L.A. until 1995, relocated to St. Louis for 21 seasons, and finally returned to Los Angeles in 2016.
