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Bill Willis, Marion Motley to receive Hall of Fame honor

It is impossible to tell the history of professional football without the Cleveland Browns.

The contributions go beyond the eight league titles, head coach Paul Brown, whose influence is still seen across the NFL today, and the 17 members enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

One of the biggest bookmarks came in 1946 when Brown signed defensive tackle Bill Willis and running back Marion Motley, who along with Kenny Washington and Woody Strode of the Los Angeles Rams, reintegrated professional football. Willis, Motley, Washington and Strode would go on to be dubbed the “Forgotten Four” as their role in league history has often been overlooked.