Like many of the early NFL teams the Akron Pros, were playing before the National Football League was founded in 1920. In Akron, the Pros roots go back to 1908 when they were formed as the Akron Indians, a semipro team playing in the Ohio League, a loose confederation of football clubs.

The Indians were highly successful, winning four Ohio League Championships in 1908, 1909, 1913 and 1914. Some of the star players from the Pre-NFL Akron Indians included Peggy Parratt, who was a top level quarterback.

Unlike many teams that played in that era and concentrated on a ground game, the Indians were one of the first professional teams to rely on a passing game. The 1914 Indians included several top players from Notre Dame including Knute Rockne.

Unfortunately having a star studded team would lead to their roster being raided. In 1916 a local brewer, Burkhardt Brewing Company, took over the remains of the Indians and renamed the club the Akron Burkhardts.

The Burkhardts would sign Fritz Pollard a top runner, who was the first black player in the Ohio League. Despite Pollard's abilities to the Burkharts who would become the Indians again struggled and were sold to Suey Welch, who fielded it as an independent club.