Cliff Branch

Cliff Branch (born August 1, 1948 in Houston, Texas) is a retired American football player. His position was wide receiver. Branch graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1972 and spent his entire 14-year professional career with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, winning 3 NFL championship rings 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 touchdown in Super Bowl XV, and 6 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII.

Cliff was voted All-Pro 3 consecutive seasons (1974-76) and had perhaps his finest season in 1976 catching 46 passes for 1,111 yards and 12 TDs, averaging an amazing 24.2 yards per catch. Branch was named to 4 consecutive Pro Bowls (1974-1977). In 1974, Branch led the NFL in both receiving yards(1,092) and receiving touchdowns(13).

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.

Branch's NFL career ended after the 1985 season. He played for the Los Angeles Cobras of the Arena Football League in 1988, their only season of existence.

Records

• NCAA Division I-A record for kickoff returns for touchdowns (8, t-1st)
• Oakland Raiders franchise record for longest reception (99 yards from Jim Plunkett, 1983)

Awards

• Four Pro Bowl appearances (1974 - 1977)

External links

• Career statistics at pro-football-reference.com
• Whatever Happened to Cliff Branch? from raiders.com
• Cliff Branch on ArenaFan.com