Menting the avis legacy
is’ legacy with the Raiders will live on, even e Hall of Fame induction of Cliff Branch was the last of his flock to be enshrined in ootball Hall of Fame. the senior committee someday picks Lester d/or Jim Plunkett, or former CEO Amy Trask a contributor, it’s the end of the line for the of the Davis-era Raiders when it comes to bust in Canton. ranch is the finish line, it’s a fitting conclu,
a 5-foot-11, 170-pound sprinter out of Colohis speed at wide receiver represented one st basic principles of Davis football with the both Oakland and Los Angeles. we came out of the huddle, we weren’t r first downs,” Davis once said. “We didn’t ove the chains. We wanted touchdowns. We e big play, the big strike . . . It’s like having and being willing to drop it . . . I hear everyake what they give you.’ ys went the other way: We’re going to take want.” getting Branch his due and a spot in the Hall as something those close to Davis say the felf Famer wanted badly before he died in 2011. layer known for getting places in a hurry, ok a route to the Hall of Fame that was slow. He arrived 38 years after his last game y three years after his death. letnikoff, who teamed with Branch to form greatest pass-catching tandems in NFL hisHall of Famer as well, wrote an emotional o his former teammate on the team website Hall of Fame class of 2023 was announced ry. the memories Biletnikoff shared was: “The I’ll always see when I think of you is that smile. To this day, it stays with me. I can ou running down that field, ball in hand, fast with a smile as you took it to the end zone.” struck fear into the hearts of NFL defenses primary big-play threat from 1972 through 1985. He caught 501 passes for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns. The stats don’t necessarily translate into how much of a star Branch might have been in the modern NFL, where rules changes have encouraged passing at the expense of old-school smash-mouth football. Still, Branch averaged 17.5 yards per catch for his career. Only six players in NFL history with 500 or more receptions have higher averages.
In 1976, when the NFL played 14-game regular seasons, Branch caught 46 passes for 1,111 yards, 12 touchdowns and averaged 24.2 yards per catch, downfield numbers that would be unheard of today.
There was the ever-present handmade “Speed Kills #21” sign in the end zone on the 66th Avenue side of the Coliseum and the memorable words of the late John Madden:
“After the national anthem, Cliff would say, ‘Coach, I can beat my guy deep,’” Madden said, “’I’d say, ‘Cliff, we haven’t played a down yet. How do you even know who your guy is?’”
Biletnikoff, in his message to Branch, noted, “Everyone knew it was easy money when you got off the line of scrimmage and ran. When you wanted something deep to turn the game around, you threw the ball to Cliff.”
In theory and style, Branch, the 29th member of the organization to be enshrined, was a Davis creation. There are 18 others who likely woul never seen Canton without Davis’ influence Otto, George Blanda, Willie Brown, Gene Up Biletnikoff, Art Shell, Ted Hendricks, Mike H Howie Long, Dave Casper, Marcus Allen, Ma Guy, Tim Brown, Ron Wolf, Ken Stabler, Tom and Charles Woodson.
Five players enhanced their reputations in and black, even if they were likely Hall of Fam out having played for the Raiders –- Ronnie L Brown, Rod Woodson, Jerry Rice and Warren
For four others — Ron Mix, Eric Dickerson Lofton and Randy Moss — the Raiders were rary stopover that had comparatively minim
Branch died unexpectedly in 2019 at age 7 Stabler, he was a posthumous selection that to experience the gold jacket and mingle wit and foes. Including Davis and Branch, seven Hall of Famers have died; the others are Blan lie Brown, Upshaw, Stabler and Madden.
It’s a sobering reminder of a bygone era w Davis insisted on an organization that won o terms with minimal regard to convention.
Branch played on all three Raiders’ Super B winners and had some of his biggest moment postseason. There was the 72-yard reception f bler against Miami when the Raiders won 28‘Sea of Hands’ game in 1974. He had two touc receptions in Super Bowl XV against Philadel another in Super Bowl XVIII against Washing
The end of his career came when Davis an Raiders began to lose their way. In Branch’s 1 seasons, the Raiders had a winning record 13 made the playoffs 11 times and won three Su Bowls. In the 36 years since Branch retired, t Raiders have had 10 winning seasons and m playoffs for the ninth time in 2021.
Whether the Raiders can even approach t status as an annual NFL power in Las Vegas to be seen. With that in mind, the induction Branch into the Pro Football Hall of Fame se both an exclamation point and a checkered fl the Al Davis era.