30 Raiders on Senior Hall of Fame Nomination List for '21
Since there will be no Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony this year in Canton, Ohio, because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the HOF Selection Committee is already gearing up for what essentially will be a double class in 2021.
To that end, the committee recently put together a Senior nomination list of 186 players yet to be released that incredibly includes 30 Raiders, a source told Raider Maven.
Heading the list which has not yet been announced, obviously, is wide receiver Cliff Branch, who many people believe should have been inducted long ago since he retired in 1986. He has been a finalist for 10 consecutive years and once lost out in a tiebreaker.
Branch played with 12 Hall of Famers in his brilliant career, including eight on the 1967 Oakland Raiders, who captured Super Bowl XI with a resounding 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at the Super Bowl in Pasadena.
As has been noted here before, Hall of Fame quarterback Kenny “Snake” Stabler said of Branch: “When we broke the huddle, the first thing the defense looked for was where Cliff was lined up. He opened things up for the rest of our offense because they had to pay so much attention to him.”
Said Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff: “The way Cliff played overshadows a lot of us.”
Despite all of the other weapons in the Raiders’ arsenal, Branch finished his career with 501 catches for 8,685 yards, an impressive average of 17.3 yards per reception, and 67 touchdowns—better than some receivers already in the Hall of Fame.
In addition, Branch played on three Super Bowl champions and his 73 receptions for 1,279 yards, a 17.7-yard average, and five touchdowns that were NFL playoff records until Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers came along.
The Raiders on the Hall of Fame Selection Committee list include:
Quarterbacks—Daryle Lamonica; Jim Plunkett.
Running backs—Clem Daniels; Pete Banaszak; Hewitt Dixon; Marv Hubbard; Mark van Eeghen.
Wide receivers—Branch; Art Powell; Warren Wells.
Tight ends—Raymond Chester; Todd Christensen.
Centers—Dave Dalby; Don Mosebar.
Offensive linemen: Wayne Hawkins; Harry Schuh.
Defensive linemen—Lyle Alzado; Ben Davidson; Tom Keating; Reggie Kinlaw; Bill Pickel; Otis Sistrunk.
Linebackers—Phil Villapiano; Dan Conners; Rod Martin; Matt Millen.
Defensive backs—Jack Tatum, Lester Hayes; George Atkinson; Dave Grayson.
Unfortunately, Raiders fans can only hope that a few of the 30 will be elected for induction to the Hall of Fame, hopefully, Branch for starters, but like Stabler, he tragically would make it posthumously.
Others who deserve more recognition than they have received are American Football League greats Powell, Daniels, Lamonica, and Keating, but unfortunately, their time seems past.
It has been said that Hall of Fame voters have what has been called “Raider Fatigue,” because the Silver and Black have had so many players who deserve consideration.
Hopefully, Branch and one or two others will make it in 2021. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
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