Deion Branch
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Receiving Stats (WR / TE)
| Year | Team | Games | Rec | Targets | Rec Yds | TDs | YAC | 1st Downs | Fumbles | Fantasy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | NE | 9 | 16 | 29 | 145 | 0 | 44 | 10 | 0 | 15 |
| 2011 | NE | 14 | 51 | 90 | 702 | 5 | 331 | 37 | 0 | 100 |
| 2010 | NE | 11 | 48 | 74 | 706 | 5 | 239 | 36 | 0 | 101 |
| 2010 | SEA | 4 | 13 | 18 | 112 | 1 | 37 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| 2009 | SEA | 14 | 45 | 79 | 437 | 2 | 205 | 17 | 0 | 55 |
| 2008 | SEA | 8 | 30 | 30 | 412 | 4 | 150 | 18 | 0 | 65 |
| 2007 | SEA | 10 | 49 | 49 | 661 | 4 | 204 | 30 | 0 | 90 |
| 2006 | SEA | 14 | 53 | 53 | 725 | 4 | 173 | 40 | 0 | 100 |
| 2005 | NE | 16 | 78 | 78 | 998 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 130 |
| 2004 | NE | 9 | 35 | 35 | 454 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 69 |
| 2003 | NE | 15 | 57 | 57 | 803 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 99 |
| 2002 | NE | 13 | 43 | 68 | 489 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 61 |
Career Summary
Deion Branch was an NFL wide receiver, two-time Super Bowl champion, and Super Bowl XXXIX Most Valuable Player.
Across 11 NFL seasons with New England and Seattle, he recorded 518 receptions for 6,644 yards and 39 touchdowns. He appeared in two Super Bowls with the Patriots.
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Early Life
Branch is a native of Albany, Georgia.
Louisville identifies Albany as his hometown and notes that he arrived at the university after Jones County Junior College.
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College Career
Branch played at Louisville from 2000 through 2001 after transferring from Jones County Junior College and became one of the Cardinals' most productive receivers.
He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, with 71 receptions for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns in 2000, then 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns in 2001. He earned first-team Conference USA honors in 2001, helped Louisville win two C-USA titles, and caught a touchdown in the 2001 Liberty Bowl victory.
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Path to the NFL
New England selected Branch in the second round, 65th overall, of the 2002 NFL Draft.
The Patriots described him as a productive Louisville receiver and punt returner who had 143 catches, nearly 2,204 yards, and 18 touchdowns in two Division I seasons.
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NFL Career
Branch began with New England, was traded to Seattle in 2006, and returned to the Patriots in a 2010 trade.
Seattle's trade history records the 2006 acquisition and the 2010 trade that sent Branch back to New England. NFL statistics include his 2010 Seattle production before that midseason return.
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Career Accomplishments
Branch won Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX and earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XXXIX.
In the Super Bowl XXXIX win over Philadelphia, he tied the then Super Bowl reception record with 11 catches for 133 yards and became the game's MVP. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, he made 10 catches for 143 yards, including a late 17-yard reception that helped set up the winning field goal.
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Playing Style
Branch was an undersized but productive receiver whose speed, quickness, and reliable high-leverage receiving were central to his role.
Bill Belichick described Branch as a productive receiver and solid punt returner with athleticism, speed, and quickness. His 10- and 11-reception Super Bowl performances show the trust he earned in major games.
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Legacy
Branch is a Louisville Hall of Famer whose No. 9 jersey has been honored, and whose postseason work remains a defining part of Patriots championship history.
Louisville inducted him into its Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015 and honored his jersey during the 2010 season. His 2,204 receiving yards rank seventh in school history despite only two Cardinals seasons.
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Post-Career
Branch returned to Louisville after his playing career, completing his communications degree and moving into football staff roles.
He completed his degree in 2019 through Louisville's Cardinal Degree Completion program. Louisville later appointed him Director of Player Development, interim head coach for the 2022 Fenway Bowl, and wide receivers coach in 2025.
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19696, 00-0021192, 1979-07-18, Deion Branch, Anthony, Branch
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