Tom Brady's unmatched Super Bowl record equaled as NFL recognizes Otto Graham's AAFC championships in official history

The NFL has made a groundbreaking decision that alters the landscape of its historical records. At the annual league meetings, team owners approved a proposal by the Competition Committee to officially incorporate statistics from the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) into the NFL’s records. This move brings significant changes, most notably placing legendary quarterback Otto Graham alongside Tom Brady in the record books with seven championships each.

How Otto Graham's championships now match Tom Brady’s
Before this decision, Tom Brady stood alone at the pinnacle of football greatness with seven Super Bowl titles, a record many believed would never be matched. However, Otto Graham’s dominance in the AAFC is now being fully recognized, and his pre-NFL success is officially acknowledged.

Otto Graham is now tied with Tom Brady for most NFL titles by a quarterback with 7 https://t.co/yS55RvTQPR pic.twitter.com/UWFd1NMLpZ

— DollarDog Nick (@DollarDogNick) April 1, 2025

Graham led the Cleveland Browns to four consecutive AAFC championships from 1946 to 1949. When the league folded, the Browns joined the NFL in 1950, immediately winning the championship in their first season. Graham added two more titles in 1954 and 1955, bringing his total to seven championships—matching Brady’s modern-era dominance.

Bill Belichick no longer the winningest coach as Paul Brown takes the top spot
Another major impact of this decision is the shift in the NFL’s coaching hierarchy. Paul Brown, the legendary coach of the Cleveland Browns, now officially surpasses Bill Belichick as the winningest head coach in NFL history. Previously, Belichick held the record with six Super Bowl victories, but Brown’s newly acknowledged AAFC championships give him seven titles, making him the most successful coach in league history.

Historic records updated across multiple statistical categories

https://t.co/53cwhf0Qgu #nfl #Browns The NFL has officially recognized the championships won in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), allowing Tom Brady to tie with Otto Graham for the most championships in league history at seven. The Cleveland Browns, who were dominant in…

— QWIKET NFL (@qwiket_nfl) April 1, 2025

The decision also brings a host of statistical adjustments that reshape the all-time records:

• YA Tittle’s career passing yards: Moves from 65th place to 44th, placing him between Hall of Famers Steve Young and Troy Aikman.
• Marion Motley’s yards per carry: His 5.7-yard average now stands as the best for any running back with at least 750 carries.
• Lou Groza’s scoring total: Jumps from 41st to 24th all-time with 1,608 career points.
• San Francisco 49ers’ 1948 rushing record: The team’s 3,663 rushing yards now stand as the highest single-season total, surpassing the Baltimore Ravens’ 3,296 yards from 2019.

The NFL’s decision mirrors its past incorporation of American Football League (AFL) statistics following the 1970 merger. The AAFC produced some of football’s greatest players and coaches, many of whom left a lasting impact on the sport. Recognizing these contributions ensures that the league’s history is accurately reflected, finally giving due credit to players like Graham, Motley, and Groza, who helped shape the game.

Also Read: Football and family: Did Tom Brady’s obsession with winning cost him his marriage?

While Tom Brady remains the greatest champion of the Super Bowl era, Otto Graham’s legacy as a dominant winner in his time is now cemented alongside him in the NFL history books.