The Buffalo Bills of the National Football League are known for having a fervent fan base, but the city's love affair with their football team dates back more than half a century. As members of the fledgling All-America Football Conference, the Buffalo Bills were one of the strongest teams in the league in 1948 and 1949, their final years of play. The team had such an impact on the city and on professional football that current franchise owner Ralph Wilson, when searching for a home for his American Football League team, settled in Buffalo and named the team in honor of the original Bills.