By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Friday was three years to the day that the Las Vegas Raiders marked a “topping out” ceremony at their stadium construction site with the news that Summerlin-based Allegiant Air paid for the naming rights for the domed venue.
It was Aug. 5, 2019 and Raiders owner Mark Davis was feeling a mix of emotions.
On one hand, Davis voiced support for the Allegiant naming rights deal.
On the other, he was mourning the loss of his best friend, former Raiders wide receive Cliff Branch, who died only two days earlier on Aug. 3, 2019 in a Bullhead City hotel room. Branch, a former Raiders three-time Super Bowl champion and a wide receiver with blazing, world-class speed, had turned 71 only two days earlier on Aug. 1, 2019.
On that blazing hot morning at the stadium site three years ago, Davis wore a white construction hat with the number 21 on its side in memory of Branch.
After the topping out event and Allegiant news announcement, Davis had this to say about losing Branch two days earlier: “It’s tough. A new word I’m using is, ‘Compartmentalize.’ To lose Cliff two nights ago, I’m still devastated. I’m still in shock. He was my best friend. He’s still my best friend. I love him.”
Here’s the Davis interview from that day:
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On Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, three years and a day after Davis talked publicly about his love for his best friend, the Raiders owner joined Branch’s sister, Elaine Anderson, to unveil the bust of Branch at the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton, Ohio.
Branch’s sister, Anderson, said many times that her brother’s enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was a matter of being delayed, but not denied. She mentioned those words again Saturday.
Pro Football Hall of Fame President Jim Porter called Anderson in February that Branch was a Hall of Famer 2 1/2 years after his passing.
Branch’s fast speed made him a long-ball threat during his 14-year career with the Raiders in both Oakland and Los Angeles. Davis’ father, Al Davis, drafted Branch in the fourth round out of Colorado. Branch went on to win three Super Bowls during his 1972-1986 Raiders tenure.
The speedster from Houston caught 501 passes during his career for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns. He was very effective in the postseason, catching 73 balls for 1,289 yards in 20 playoff games.
Photo credits for these Hall of Fame weekend photos below go to the Raiders:
Davis was very close to Branch, acting as his agent in 1980 in contract talks with the team owned by his father. Davis also lived with Branch at one time in the 1980s.
On Saturday, Davis beamed with pride when he gazed at the Branch bust that immortalized his best friend in Canton.