'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