Five Oakland Raiders Greats Missing from the Hall of Fame
3. Cliff Branch
When you think about Al Davis’ favorite type of player, the first name that comes to mind is Cliff Branch. Cliff Branch, an undersized speedster out of Colorado, was taken in the 4th round of the 1972 draft, and was perhaps known more for his track exploits in college than his football prowess. Branch ran the 100 in 10 seconds flat and 20.5 seconds in the 200, and many thought he would compete in the US Olympic Trials. Instead, he signed with the Raiders, and spent the next two years trying to work his way into the starting lineup.
In 1974, Branch exploded onto the scene, hauling in 60 passes for a league-best 1,092 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Raiders rolled to a 12-2 record and a playoff berth. He led the league in TD receptions again two years later (missing the receiving yards title by a single yard) as the Raiders won their first ever Super Bowl title. He was named to four consecutive Pro Bowls between 1974 and 1977, and was named first-team All-Pro three times. He was part of all three Raider Super Bowl championships, and caught 14 passes for 181 yards and 3 TD’s in three Super Bowl appearances. He caught two TD passes from Jim Plunkett in Super Bowl XV against the Eagles, and hauled in six passes for 94 yards and a score in Super Bowl XVIII against Washington. He finished his career after the 1985 season (unless you count his one year for the Arena League’s LA Cobras) with 501 receptions for 8,635 yards and 67 TD’s in regular season play to go along with his 74 receptions for 1,289 yards and 5 TD’s in the playoffs.
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The best argument for Cliff Branch making the Hall of Fame is in comparing him to hall of fame receivers of his era, especially Lynn Swann. Lynn Swann made one less Pro Bowl and one less all-Pro team. During the nine years they were both in the league, Swann only twice had more receptions and yards than Branch, and only three times had more touchdowns. In those nine years, Branch had 77 more receptions than Swann, 1,795 more yards, and nine more touchdowns. Branch also put up better career playoff numbers than Swann, although Swann did have his signature MVP performance in Super Bowl X. Swann, however, never had a two-TD game in a Super Bowl like Branch had against the Eagles in Super Bowl XV. Branch stacks up statistically with other Steelers hall of fame receiver John Stallworth, as well.
But while he certainly had impressive numbers, his numbers alone aren’t the sole case for his inclusion in Canton. Cliff Branch is one of a select few players in the history of the game that changed the way the game was played at his position. Al Davis realized that a player with the rare type of speed Branch had could change the way defenses played, and could change games completely. Branch is probably responsible for the NFL cliche “speed kills.” His track-star speed, now commonplace for receivers and DB’s in the league, was a rare trait shared only by a few players at the time. He was a deep threat who would force defenses to keep their safeties back to defend against him, opening up the Raider rushing attack. Branch was everything Al Davis wanted in a wide receiver, and Al spent the rest of his life drafting players who he thought would be the next Cliff Branch. Speed kills is now a way of life in the NFL, thanks in large part to Branch. Unfortunately, he happened to play at a position that is now loaded with Hall of Fame talent, in an era that didn’t feature the pass as heavily. He also has the fact that he played his entire career in Silver and Black – and as one of Al Davis’ favorite guys – working against him with the selection committee. And he’s not the only one: