#7 Cliff Branch | Top 10: Fastest Players | NFL Films

[@Ghostmotorfinger]

Rest in Peace Cliff Branch. Raider Nation loves you.

[@hapcot]

They sure do drop a lot of cakes in these countdowns

[@gerardorubio3612]

And remember Cliff Branch pulled his hamstring half way down the field on that 99 yard touchdown pass from Plunkett and still beat the red skins defender. I saw that on tv live back then. I knew that after that play his career was coming to a close. The speedster from Colorado. RIP to my favorite Raider player as a kid in the 70's and 80's Cliff Branch.

[@sydboski]

Mine too!!

[@chosenfewla3786]

RIP to one of the greatest who ever played the games ,, thank you 😢😢RN4L!!!!!!!

[@stuartdamon3610]

Please explain to me why Cliff Branch is not in the HOA! He had better stats than Swan & Stalworth. He won three Super Bowls. Came up huge in the biggest of games. He was elegant, a class act. I love you Cliff, you will always have a spot in my heart. My Hero! ❤️

[@Texas_Cruiser]

It's a joke! 3 rings, clutch plays, decent stats for the time. So many others with less impressive stats and no rings!

[@babyblueLEGEND]

Decent stats? When Branch retired he was the All-time leader in Playoff catches ,yards and Tds.

[@BigYoesky]

He made it in 2022

[@paulabramson8066]

Cliff Branch the best speed receiver of all time in the NFL he belongs in the Hall of Fame this Raider,great.

[@yadoo8164]

I have him #2 behind Bob Hayes

[@MrEasyman61]

me too,but only because bullet bob was a trained Olympic sprinter

[@UnbowedUnbentUnbroken93]

Crazy that branch was this good, considering that cornerbacks in the 70s were allowed to maul receivers at the line of scrimmage.

[@Tyrunner0097]

They never could jam Cliff Branch at the LOS, because he could run past them before they could even get close.

[@robertwest9567]

He could out run anyone

[@stuartdamon3610]

Including Mel Blount. Sheesh!

[@kennycarlson9996]

@@stuartdamon3610 ya and mel blount ran like a 4.35

[@finnfinn7703]

@@robertwest9567 No he could not.

[@cjasewell]

In SB XVIII, 35-year-old Cliff Branch separates from supposed #1 Darrell Green, who was 12 years younger, on a 50-yard bomb.

[@howardcosell2022]

He comes out of nowhere to throw the final block for Marcus' 74 yard run

[@bryanmiller6110]

Exactly... ask Mel Blount how fast he was

[@edgardoescobar1393]

That’s bullshit and they got Darrell Green at number 1 smh

[@finnfinn7703]

He used a double move and got separation on Washington. Who the hell cares he still got slow walked he didn’t score Washington ran him down from behind. Branch could run he couldn’t outrun Washington when he was 35 so shut the hell up.

[@kennycarlson9996]

@@bryanmiller6110 and blount had sub 4.4 speed

[@williamfox1146]

As a Broncos fan I am happy to see Cliff Branch finally inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. It is a crime that he was not inducted sooner. I saw Cliff play receiver for the University of Colorado where he was always the best player on the field. While at Colorado Cliff set the world record for the indoor 60 yard dash - temporarily making him the fastest man in the world - a fact that seems to be forgotten.

[@finnfinn7703]

He never set the world record for the 60 yard dash. Of course it was indoors all 60 yard dashes are indoors except for that stupid NFL fastest man. Get your facts straight before you say something stupid.Here’s a fact that seems to be forgotten he never was the big eight sprint champ if you can’t even win your conference how the hell are you the fastest man in the world.?

[@altonwilliams7117]

He was great to watch back in the day!🏈 He was money!!!$$$

[@jmacmall]

Nobody wants to mention that block at 0:40? Sheesh

[@williamcooper6274]

In My Opinion, THE MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER IN NFL HISTORY!!!! Cliff Branch Put fear in the eyes of EVERYONE from Mel Blount and Michael Haynes to Darrell Green. He showed up in ALL of the Raiders Big Games, and produced better numbers than Swann, Stallworth and others in the Hall. BIG PLAYS IN ALL BIG GAMES!!!!! The Minute the NFL talked about the 10 veterans they are inducting next year, I thought "FINALLY, him, Otis Taylor, Jerry Smith and Drew Pearson are getting in..." Too bad it's gonna be posthumously. Rest In Peace, Cliff. You were the best in an area where you were tremendously unappreciated. The Greatest Pure Deep Threat that ever lived!!!!

[@Texas_Cruiser]

yes it's a shame he's not in the hall!

[@finnfinn7703]

If he was the greatest pure deep threat ever shouldn’t he have a higher yards per catch average? A lot more 50 yard or more touchdowns also he was not the greatest deep threat ever.

[@williamcooper6274]

@@finnfinn7703 I see ignorance captured you, as you have no knowledge of how much the game has changed since the 1970's.

[@finnfinn7703]

@@williamcooper6274 I’m not comparing it to how the game is changed I’m comparing it to his contemporaries. Lower average yards per catch less touchdowns of 50 yards or longer than the players he was playing alongside. Ignorance?

[@finnfinn7703]

@@williamcooper6274 Throat? Now that’s ignorance I really have to check my comments before I send them.

[@Runner2001]

Glad they FINALLY put him in the HOF

[@skull9674]

Cliff Branch pulled his hamstring on that 99 yard touchdown that's why you see him slow up.

[@carnakthemagnificent336]

And FINALLY in the HOF!

[@getoffmylawn3025]

And SHOULD be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

[@ButOneThingIsNeedful]

Too low on the list. People don't understand the difference between 'football field speed' & 'tartan track speed'. Branch had both, but breakaway or "deep threat" speed in football requires lightning acceleration as well as elite top-end speed. 2:09 -- I rest my case.

[@markpage9886]

Howie Long said Cliff Branch was legitimately one of the three fastest men on this planet. In the Super Bowl when Marcus Allen broke away for the epic touch down run, Cliff Branch caught Marcus, from behind and yards away, and escorted Allen into the end zone. Long said Cliff could run a 4 40 (40 yards in 4 seconds) into his SIXTIES. Elite.

[@rogerm4a1]

Rest In Peace Cliff! #RAIDERNATION loves you.

[@sixfootfourmike]

Damn, he ran a 9.3 100 yard in college at Colorado Altitude... that's insane

[@finnfinn7703]

Running at altitude helps your speed doesn’t hurt it. His best 200 time was at altitude but he ran a legitimate 9.2 At legal level.

[@lilcourtny08]

10.0 100m runner so he was blazing fast and should be top 3

[@finnfinn7703]

@@lilcourtny08 Top three all-time? In college he was only barely top three in his conference in the hundred.

[@lesduenas5699]

Another thing he has 3 superbowl rings, Swan has 51 career TD and Cliff has 67 TD and still not in the Hall of Fame. HOF committees you need to get him IN also Jim Plunkett.

[@thedude-jb7wx]

I used to count where he was lined up and on the field he had an extra gear. Seemed like he ran a 4 flat on the field. SERIOUS. Bo Jackson Kingdome run was special but Cliff could hit an even higher speed.

[@sydboski]

Agreed

[@kennycarlson9996]

no dout ,thats what 4.1 look like

[@thedude-jb7wx]

@@kennycarlson9996 raideeeeerrrrrsssss!!!!!!!!!!

[@davidsuarez3003]

Cliff Branch maybe the best deep threat of the 1970s. Or he may Not have been.

[@leonzackery7765]

Branch number one in this countdown.

[@ryan_2007_walls]

Cliff Branch was a great receiver a trail blazer to the Raiders Nation but the real deal now a hall of famer well deserve God Rest His Soul in football paradise #21

[@KolbyG901]

Cliff branch is a really good underrated player tho.

[@randyhanson4973]

Cliff Branch is #1 PERIOD … Ask anyone HOF player who ever tried to cover him

[@blaksuedeon3371]

RIP Mr.Branch

[@caseydouglas3671]

Branch should be in the Hall

[@erniemartinez3075]

Should be in HOF 3 Super Bowls winning teams

[@infinitetundra]

How df is he still not in the HOF and his numbers were comparable to Lynn Swann who is in?

[@stealthiscool]

Will E. he played for the Raiders who were hated by the league and Swann played for the Steelers who were and still are loved

[@bigdaddy4959]

Will E. comperable,try better all across the board. When Branch retired he was the alltime playoff leader in receptions yardage and touchdowns. he's still 3 or 4 on the alltime playoff list in yardage 1275 yards. only Rice and Moss have more. He was way better than Swann his numbers show that. He's a raider one the hof sportswriters don't like just like his buddy Lester Hayes. they will never get in because the voters are stone idiots

[@sydboski]

Playoff leader in rec, and yds. Not tds. Still belongs in the HOF over Swann.

[@michaelwashington4408]

Will E. Well Swann has 4 super bowls and Branch has like 2

[@josedopwell9645]

Michael Washington , Branch was on all 3 Raiders Super Bowl winners (76, 80, 83). Ted Hendricks did as well. Branch deserves to be in the Hall of Fame!!

[@EAFSQ9]

Could it be that a rookie in Ruggs we drafted this year could be based more on Branch rather than their current year comparison in Tyreek Hill...

[@feteboo]

1. Bob Hayes..2.bo Jackson 3 wille gault. 4.cliff branch.5 Daryl green.6 dieon Sanders 7. Michael vick

[@sydboski]

Based on what?

[@indislyfee]

THATS MY COUSINN

[@sydboski]

Cliff also strained a hamstring halfway through that play. Otherwise he would have been pulling away from Jordan.

[@ckobo84]

Lol, thought he was just taking it easy. Doing one of those Joey Galloway things were he slows up and almost let's the guy catch him just to taunt him.

[@kennycarlson9996]

ya and that jordan was no slouch running a 4.4

[@finnfinn7703]

@@kennycarlson9996 Jordan was not even a 4.6 you are an idiot.

[@bismoglungis]

Branch is #1...

[@rd-pd8xb]

RIP

[@previnlubom4498]

Speed Kills # 21 RIP

[@96Eclipsed]

You notice on that last play with Jordan running after Branch...Branch slows down around the 15 yard line and Jordon still WASN'T gaining on Branch...at 35.

[@sydboski]

Branch strained his hamstring early in that play.

[@thedude-jb7wx]

2:08 ok i compared this to Bo Jackson Kindome run and its comparable.Difference Cliff had to waste energy and and stop and plant and go. CLIFF ON THIS RUN IS THE NO1 SPOT CASE CLOSED. He ran from the 45 yard line to goal line 55 yards and slowed down in the end ina bout 5.7 seconds on my watch and wouldve been faster if he didnt slow down. Nobody on the field could run like Cliff NOBODY. LOOK T THAT AND THATS STOP AND GO!!!! 9.2 SPRINTER IN THOSE TIMES. CLIFF IS THE FASTEST. Him and green wouldve been epic in superstars but Cliff reached an extra gear on the field.

[@sydboski]

Cliff was definitely faster than Bo. 100m Cliff 10.00h vs Bo 10.44.

[@lincolnkauffman3367]

Rip

[@mrg1534]

12 to 21

[@sydboski]

WHY IS BRANCH NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME?!?! Cry baby ass Drew Pearson cried his way into the finalists for 2021. Pearson's stats pale in comparison to Branch's. How is Pearson going to get in before Branch? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

[@emmanuelchavez3955]

10

[@lesduenas5699]

If watch the 1983 superbowl 18 you will see how he burned Washington and Green with 50 yard catch and Green was another speedster and Cliff Branch was 34 years old Green was a rookie age 24. Take that Green.

[@sydboski]

Branch is my all time favorite player, but Green was not guarding Branch, Washington was. Green just happened to be in the area.

[@DeepH2Ov1]

They have Cliff at #7??? Are you kidding me??? Number #7?? What a joke.

[@kennycarlson9654]

cliff branch, the origional tyrek hill , and faster

[@sydboski]

How was he faster?

[@lilcourtny08]

​@@sydboskihe had a faster 100m Time

[@sydboski]

@@lilcourtny08 I'll let you solve this yourself. What are their times?

[@elomon3473]

BRANCH all Day.. 9.3 100 meters...

[@213byron]

You telling me he’s faster than CJ2K?

[@sydboski]

Much faster. Branch ran 10.00h 100m. CJ ran 10.66.

[@bradley8867]

Paul Warfield was the best deep threat of the 70s

[@finnfinn7703]

Liar

[@sydboski]

I think Cliff Branch, Mel Gray, and Isaac Curtis have something to say about that.

[@brunoespinosa2913]

First

[@popadopulas897]

Gay