Cliff Branch facts for kids
Branch in 2019
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | August 1, 1948 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died: | August 3, 2019 (aged 71) Bullhead City, Arizona, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Worthing (Houston, Texas) | ||||||||
| College: | Colorado | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1972 / Round: 4 / Pick: 98 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Clifford "Cliff" Branch Jr. (born August 1, 1948 – died August 3, 2019) was an amazing American football player. He was a wide receiver for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders for his entire 14-year career. This was in the National Football League (NFL).
Cliff Branch helped the Raiders win three NFL championships. These were in Super Bowl XI, XV, and XVIII. He was chosen by the Raiders in the 1972 NFL Draft. Before that, he played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes. After he passed away, he was honored. He was chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
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Cliff Branch's College Days
Cliff Branch went to college at the University of Colorado Boulder. He was a talented athlete there. He played football and was also a fast sprinter on the track team.
In 1970, playing football for the Buffaloes, he caught 23 passes. He gained 355 yards from these catches. He also ran the ball 22 times for 119 yards. He scored one touchdown that year.
In 1971, he caught 13 passes for 330 yards. He scored 3 touchdowns from his catches. He also ran the ball 9 times for 235 yards. He scored 4 touchdowns running the ball.
On the track team, Cliff was incredibly fast. He set a new record in the 100 meters race. This was at the 1972 NCAA championships. He ran it in just 10.0 seconds. He also had a personal best time of 20.5 seconds in the 200 meters race. He finished college in 1972.
Super Fast on the Track
Cliff Branch was known for his incredible speed. Here are some of his best times:
| Event | Time (seconds) | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 meters | 10.0 | Eugene, Oregon | June 2, 1972 |
| 200 meters | 20.5 | Boulder, Colorado | April 7, 1971 |
Becoming a Pro Football Star
Playing for the Raiders
The Oakland Raiders picked Cliff Branch in the 1972 NFL Draft. He was the 98th player chosen overall. He played his entire 14-year NFL career with the Raiders. The team later moved and became the Los Angeles Raiders.
Cliff won three Super Bowl rings with the Raiders. These big wins were in Super Bowl XI, Super Bowl XV, and Super Bowl XVIII.
His first two seasons were a bit slow. In 1972, he only started one game. He caught three passes for 41 yards. In 1973, he caught 19 passes for 290 yards. He scored three touchdowns that year.
His third season, 1974, was his breakout year. He caught 60 passes for 1,092 yards. He also scored 13 touchdowns. These were his career bests for catches and touchdowns. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl. He was also named First-team All-Pro. He led the league in receiving yards and touchdowns.
In the playoffs that year, he had an amazing game. He caught nine passes for 186 yards. He scored one touchdown. However, the Raiders lost that game. This was one of his best playoff performances.
Cliff had a fantastic four-year period from 1974 to 1977. He was selected for the Pro Bowl four times. He was also named All-Pro three times. In 1976, he had a career high of 1,111 receiving yards. He also scored 12 touchdowns. That year, the Raiders won their first championship.
On October 2, 1983, Cliff made a record-breaking catch. He caught a 99-yard pass from Jim Plunkett. This was the longest pass ever caught by a Raider. It was his only catch in that game. He is still the only Raider to catch a 99-yard pass.
Cliff finished his NFL career with 501 catches. He gained 8,685 receiving yards. He also scored 67 touchdowns. In 20 playoff games, he had 73 catches for 1,289 yards. He averaged 17.7 yards per catch. He also scored five touchdowns in the playoffs.
He once held the NFL playoff records for catches and receiving yards. Later, Jerry Rice broke these records in the 1990s. Cliff was a four-time Pro Bowl player. He was also a three-time First-team All-Pro. He led the NFL in receiving yards once. He led in receiving touchdowns twice.
After His NFL Career
After leaving the NFL, Cliff Branch played for the Los Angeles Cobras. This was a team in the Arena Football League in 1988. This team only existed for one season.
Many people felt Cliff Branch deserved to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was known for his incredible speed. He was a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame in 2004 and 2010.
Finally, on August 24, 2021, he was chosen as a finalist. On February 10, 2022, he was officially selected. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Remembering Cliff Branch
Cliff Branch passed away on August 3, 2019. This was just two days after his 71st birthday. His body was found in a hotel room. This was in Bullhead City, Arizona. Police said his death was due to natural causes.
