Finalist for the Broncos HC job in 2019 that ended up becoming the team’s OL coach.
Was not retained after Nathaniel Hackett was hired as head coach of the Broncos for the 2022 season.
NOTES:
Well I never expected to get this one back. After failing on Munchie back in 2015, I saw a few successes in early 2020 and packed 3 cards up and sent them out to him C/o the Broncos. There they languished in a mailbag I guess. I thought for sure I’d never see them again, but like a Christmas miracle, in tricked in a few successes from Munchie from his time with Denver, well after a year after he’d been let go. I held out a bit of hope and lo and behold these cards came back to me- but oh no, he didn’t sign my set need… Ah well, 2 of 3 ain’t bad.
So neither of these ended up being a set need. Curses! But they are still great cards. The Action Packed 1990 All Madden Team or AMAD for short came out at an odd time. I think it was for the 1990 AMAD team, but it wasn’t really seen in stores where I could get them until 1991. Still it bears an interesting transitionary phase hinting at Action Packed 1991 and ’92s looser left leaning canvas design. Also the image of Mike from this card was reused for Score 1990 as well- or the other way around depending on how you look at it.
I still think Mike has some gas in the tank to coach, and would make a great assistant coach/ OL coach for some team. I’d personally love to see him reunited with the city of H-Town.
Breathtaking track man and WR played in ’70 and ’71 for the Buffs.
Caught 36 passes for 665 yards and 3 TDs, while rushing for 354 yards on 31 carries (5 TDs).
Selected in the 3rd round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.
Played during the prime years of the ‘Dead Ball Era’.
Had 60 catches, a league leading 1092 yards and 13 TDs in 1974.
Added another 893 yards and 9 TDs in ’75.
Had 1,111 yards, an 88 yard long, and a league leading 12 TDs in ’76.
Curiously his 24.2 yards per catch did not lead the NFL that year- despite catching 46 passes.
In ’77 posted 33 receptions for 540 yards and 6 TDs.
Continued to be a long bomb threat throughout the remainder of his career, posting an 86 yard catch in ’80 and a 99 yard TD in ’83.
Retired after the 1985 season.
Was the bridge between two eras of the Silver and Black winning Super Bowls XI, XV, and XVIII.
Played one season in the Arena Football League in 1988 for the Los Angeles Cobras.
ACCOLADES:
NFL Record – 99 Yard TD reception (tied)
All-Pro 1974-’76
Pro Bowl 1974-’77
Pro Football Hall of Fame 2022
NOTES:
It is a testament to the Silver and Black that Branch finally is in the HoF. Long overdue, he was being held back by his ‘Dead Ball Era’ stats, a logger jam of WR with sexier stats, and a stigma against inducting too many Raiders from that era into the HoF. Frequently the most dangerous offensive player on the field, Branch’s honor was long deserved.
REC
YDS
AVG
TD
LG
501
8,685
17.3
67
99t
EPITAPH:
Cliff Branch passed away August 3rd, 2019 of natural causes. He was 71. He was posthumously was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
Chased the Upper Deck Legends Marquee Matchup 1997 cards while I could. It’s a great subset, but since- to me- it requires both players to be alive and reasonably obtainable, it’s a bit hard to complete out. This one was a potshot as Steve Largent started signing again, so I was able to get him first and then reload and get Charlie with this Crown Royale card. I like the CR card because the bottom half of the canvas feels like it was deliberately left blank, so an autograph only feels natural there.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
