The AAFC's southern California franchise, which was to compete directly with the newly-relocated Rams of the NFL, was known as the Los Angeles Dons.

[1] Other owners included Hollywood notables Louis B. Mayer, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and actor Don Ameche.

[1] The Dons' head coach was "Dud" DeGroot, a Stanford football player who had gone on to earn a PhD from that institution.

[3][4] The Dons took a first quarter lead on a 55-yard pass from quarterback "Chuckin' Charlie" O'Rourke to Bernie Nygren and never looked back, triumphing 20–14 over the visitors from New York.

[5] The Dons opened the inaugural season with three wins and a tie before a rough spell; they finished in third place in the AAFC's Western Division with a record of 7–5–2, out of the playoffs.