Raiders legend Cliff Branch is still waiting to hear from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he’s got the support he needs to get him to that glorious moment.
“The Raider Nation, Raiders.com, the Raider organization, a lot of the sports writers, that goes into representing me. Art Shell, and former players like Mel Blount, Joe Greene, Mike Haynes and Marcus Allen and you know, guys speaking up for me, that I deserve it. It’s very supportive, man,” Branch said from National Sports Memorabilia in Petaluma, located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Branch, 70, was selected as an NFL All-Pro three times, and he won three Super Bowls with the Raiders. Branch made an impact in the big game, and in the playoffs in general. He was the NFL’s all-time leader in playoff catches and yards when he retired in 1985.
A former world-class sprinter at the University of Colorado, Branch helped form the identity of one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises. The Raiders are known, to this day and likely forever, for having speed to burn. Without Branch, a fourth-round draft pick by legendary former club owner Al Davis, it’s questionable whether the Raiders would have that reputation — or own three Lombardi Trophies.
Branch has to be selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Seniors Committee in order to make it to Canton. It didn’t happen this year, as the group nominated former Chiefs safety, Johnny Robinson, according to the PFHOF official website.
But Branch is still optimistic. A good word from another Raiders legend bolsters his spirits.
“John Madden says it’s gonna happen,” Branch said. “He says ‘be patient and stay alive.’ I truly believe it’s going to happen, I think about 2019, 2020.”
Branch is well aware of the fate of fabled Raiders quarterback, Ken Stabler and his wait for the Hall of Fame. One of the most worthy players of being immortalized in Canton, Stabler passed away before the honor was bestowed upon him.
“He got his due, but he just didn’t get a chance to enjoy it,” Branch said of his one-time QB.
That heavy reality doesn’t seem to weigh on Branch. He’s lively as ever — interacting with fans while signing autographs, and performing charity work in Sacramento. He still awaits word from the Hall of Fame, but the support he gets from Raiders fans and players and even adversaries makes the time more than bearable.
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