Their head coach was Paul Brown, who left the Cleveland Browns following the 1962 season with National Football League (NFL) record of 115–49–6, seven conference titles, and three NFL championships.
His son Mike Brown did a study on pro football expansion and recommended Cincinnati as a potential site.
In 1965, Brown met with Governor of Ohio James Rhodes and the two agreed the state could accommodate a second pro football team.
The team recorded its first win in franchise history in week 2 with a 24–10 victory over the Denver Broncos.
[1] [2] [3][4] Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings in the AFL.