Branch Finally Selected for Hall of Fame

Wide receiver Cliff Branch of the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders has been selected for enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, it was announced on Thursday night—something that was long overdue.

The 5-11, 170-pound Branch played a big role in the Raiders winning Super Bowls XI, XV, and XVIII, and played alongside such Hall of Famers as center Jim Otto, tackle Art Shell, guard Gene Upshaw, tight end Dave Casper, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, quarterback Kenny “Snake” Stabler and running back Marcus Allen, among others.

However, it took this long for speedy Branch to get the call for Canton despite the role he played for the Raiders.

“Cliff made it possible for us to do so many things in not only in our passing game but the running game, too, because defenses routinely tried to cover him with two and sometimes three defenders,” Stabler said. “And Cliff was still able to get open, with his speed and great moves.

“ … 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 Biletnikoff: “The way Cliff played overshadows a lot of us.”

Branch has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 1991 and twice before was a semifinalist. A few years ago, NFL Network selected Branch as one of the top five players worth of selection for Canton who was not yet enshrined.

“I had him from his first day ever as a Raider,” said former Raiders Coach Tom Flores, who was enshrined in Canton last year. “I watched him grow up, watched him make big plays, and just watched him grow as a person.

“I was so proud of him and what he became. He was a game-changer. He not only had incredible speed, he changed the game. I’m very happy for him. I loved him. My kids loved him. … I hope our busts are close by, so we can talk.”

Branch made 501 receptions for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns in 15 seasons with the Silver and Black, including an NFL record-tying 99-yard TD, was a three-time first-team All-Pro, and played in four Pro Bowls.

In addition, Branch caught 73 passes for 1,289 yards and five touchdowns in the post-season, with the catches and yardage standing as NFL records until Jerry Rice of the San Francisco 49ers came along.

The Raiders selected Branch in the fourth round (No. 98 overall) of the NFL Draft out of Colorado in 1972 out of Colorado, and he turned out to be a steal.

Branch set the then-NCAA record for the 100-meter dash by running 10 seconds-flat at the 1972 NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., but passed up a chance to try out for the Olympic Games that year to attend Raiders rookie and training camps.

Strictly a deep threat at Colorado, Branch benefited by being drafted by the Raiders, because he was able to learn some deceptive moves from Biletnikoff, the master of his craft, and could get open deep with his speed or short with his moves.

Unfortunately, like Stabler who died in 2015 ahead of his induction in the HOF a year later, Branch will be enshrined posthumously in August because he died suddenly in August of 2019 at the age of 71.

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