Cliff Branch
Encyclopedia
Cliff Branch is a retired American football
wide receiver
who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
, winning three Super Bowl ring
s in Super Bowl XI
, Super Bowl XV
and Super Bowl XVIII
. Branch holds the distinction of being the only wide receiver to be a member of all 3 Raiders Super Bowl teams.
in 1972 where he was a 5-year letterman in football. During his time at Colorado, Cliff set the NCAA Division 1-A record for kickoffs returned for touchdowns with 8. Branch was selected in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL Draft
with the 98th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders
.
, winning three Super Bowl ring
s in Super Bowl XI
, Super Bowl XV
and Super Bowl XVIII
. Branch caught 3 passes for 20 yards in Super Bowl XI, 5 passes for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns in Super Bowl XV, and 6 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII.
Cliff was voted a First team All-Pro in four consecutive seasons (1974
–1977
) and had 46 receptions in 1976
for 1,111 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 24.2 yards per catch. During this time, Branch was also named to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1974–1977. In 1974, Branch led the National Football League
in both receiving yards (1,092) and receiving touchdowns (13). During the 1983 season
, Branch set the Raiders franchise record for the longest TD reception (99 yards), on a pass from Jim Plunkett
.
Branch finished his 14 NFL seasons with 501 receptions for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns. He also rushed for 70 yards and returned 9 kickoffs for 191 yards.
season. He played for the Los Angeles Cobras
of the Arena Football League in 1988
, their only season of existence. Branch holds the distinction of being the only wide receiver to be a part of all three Raiders Super Bowl
teams, those being the 1976
, 1980
, and 1983
teams. Branch is a nominee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
, and was a semifinalist in 2004 and 2010.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, winning three Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s in Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
, Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
and Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
. Branch holds the distinction of being the only wide receiver to be a member of all 3 Raiders Super Bowl teams.
Early years
Branch graduated from the University of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
in 1972 where he was a 5-year letterman in football. During his time at Colorado, Cliff set the NCAA Division 1-A record for kickoffs returned for touchdowns with 8. Branch was selected in the fourth round of the 1972 NFL Draft
1972 NFL Draft
The 1972 National Football League Draft was held on February 1–2, 1972.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
with the 98th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Branch spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Oakland/Los Angeles RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, winning three Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
s in Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI
Super Bowl XI was a football game played on January 9, 1977 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1976 regular season...
, Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
and Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII
Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, deciding the National Football League champion following the 1983 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Los Angeles Raiders defeated the National Football Conference...
. Branch caught 3 passes for 20 yards in Super Bowl XI, 5 passes for 62 yards and 2 touchdowns in Super Bowl XV, and 6 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII.
Cliff was voted a First team All-Pro in four consecutive seasons (1974
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
–1977
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
) and had 46 receptions in 1976
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
for 1,111 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 24.2 yards per catch. During this time, Branch was also named to four consecutive Pro Bowls from 1974–1977. In 1974, Branch led the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in both receiving yards (1,092) and receiving touchdowns (13). During the 1983 season
1983 Los Angeles Raiders season
-Schedule:-Los Angeles Raiders 38, Pittsburgh Steelers 10:The Raiders scored 3 touchdowns in the third quarter en route to a 38–10 win over the Steelers. In the first quarter, Pittsburgh advanced on a 78-yard drive, but when faced with fourth down and inches near the goal line, they opted for...
, Branch set the Raiders franchise record for the longest TD reception (99 yards), on a pass from Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
.
Branch finished his 14 NFL seasons with 501 receptions for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns. He also rushed for 70 yards and returned 9 kickoffs for 191 yards.
Later years
Branch's NFL career ended after the 19851985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
season. He played for the Los Angeles Cobras
Los Angeles Cobras
-History:The Los Angeles Cobras played in the 1988 Arena Football League season only. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, which they shared with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association...
of the Arena Football League in 1988
1988 Arena Football League season
The 1988 Arena Football League season was the 2nd season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Detroit Drive, who defeated the Chicago Bruisers in ArenaBowl II.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, their only season of existence. Branch holds the distinction of being the only wide receiver to be a part of all three Raiders Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
teams, those being the 1976
1976 Oakland Raiders season
-Season:The Road to their first World Championship began on opening day as they faced the reigning world champion Pittsburgh Steelers. In their home opener, Oakland trailed 28–14 with just over five minutes to play, yet orchestrated what many to this day refer to as their Comeback Classic of 1976...
, 1980
1980 Oakland Raiders season
-Staff:HC: Tom FloresAst: Ray Willsey , Lew Erber , Sam Boghosian , Earl Leggett , Charlie Sumner , Chet Franklin , Steve Ortmayer , Bob Mischak , Joe Madro , Willie Brown -Regular season:...
, and 1983
1983 Los Angeles Raiders season
-Schedule:-Los Angeles Raiders 38, Pittsburgh Steelers 10:The Raiders scored 3 touchdowns in the third quarter en route to a 38–10 win over the Steelers. In the first quarter, Pittsburgh advanced on a 78-yard drive, but when faced with fourth down and inches near the goal line, they opted for...
teams. Branch is a nominee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, and was a semifinalist in 2004 and 2010.
Records
- NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I-A record for kickoff returns for touchdowns (8, t-1st) - Oakland Raiders franchise record for longest reception (99 yards from Jim PlunkettJim PlunkettJames William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
, 1983)
Awards
- Four Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
appearances (1974–1977) - Four time first team All-Pro selection (1974-1977)
- Three-time Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion (XI, XV, XVIII)
External links
- Profile at NFL.com
- Career statistics at pro-football-reference.com
- Whatever Happened to Cliff Branch? from raiders.com
- Cliff Branch on ArenaFan.com