Deion Branch

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Branch was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005, after tying the Super Bowl reception record with 11 catches for 133 yards. He was the first receiver to win the award since 1989. Branch played for the Patriots from 2002 to 2005, then for the Seattle Seahawks from 2006 to 2010, before a second stint with the Patriots for the next two seasons, which included an appearance in Super Bowl XLVI.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Branch's career occurred on February 6, 2005, during Super Bowl XXXIX. Facing the Philadelphia Eagles, Branch tied the Super Bowl reception record with 11 catches for 133 yards. This performance matched former San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice and Cincinnati Bengals tight end Dan Ross. More importantly, it made him the first wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP since 1989. The game was a testament to his ability to perform under pressure; he recorded 17-yard catches on critical drives, including a key reception that set up Adam Vinatieri's game-winning field goal in the previous year's Super Bowl XXXVIII victory over Carolina. His 60-yard touchdown catch in the AFC Championship against Pittsburgh earlier that season also earned him NFL Offensive Player of Championship Sunday honors.

Reader's Guide

Branch was born in Albany, Georgia, and attended Monroe Comprehensive High School. He played two seasons at Jones County Junior College, then two seasons at Louisville. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round (65th overall) of the 2002 NFL draft. He held out in 2006 and was traded to the Seahawks on September 11, 2006, for a first-round pick. He was traded back to the Patriots on October 11, 2010, for a fourth-round pick.

Did You Know?

• Branch tied Jerry Rice and Dan Ross for the Super Bowl reception record with 11 catches in Super Bowl XXXIX.
• He was the first wide receiver to win Super Bowl MVP since 1989.
• Branch caught 13 passes in a Week 4 game against the San Diego Chargers in 2002, the second-highest single-game total by a rookie in NFL history.
• He had a 60-yard touchdown catch in the 2004 AFC Championship game.