He's no twig: on football's biggest stage, Patriots receiver Deion Branch has been anything but small

Sporting News, The, Feb 18, 2005 by Kara Yorio

This year's installment of Bill Belichick, Coaching Genius, isn't about complicated defensive alignments or game plan adjustments. His best coaching decision of the year came in September when he decided not to place receiver Deion Branch on injured reserve after he hurt his knee.

"If I was on I.R., I wouldn't be standing here right now," says Branch, standing underneath a sign that reads "MVP."

Branch missed seven games with the knee injury, but he returned in late November. In his first game back, he had six catches for 106 yards and one touchdown against the Chiefs.

As he talks about the decision to leave him off I.R., Branch is all smiles, never mind the blood--a souvenir from a busy night in a physical game--splattered on the right sleeve of his white Super Bowl Champions T-shirt.

Before the game the Eagles' Terrell Owens commanded center stage, and he backed up his bravado with nine receptions for 122 yards. Had the Eagles won, Owens very well might have driven out of Jacksonville in the MVP's Cadillac. Instead, the 5-9, 193-pound Branch not only one-upped Owens, he bettered his own Super Bowl 38 total of 10 catches for 143 yards with a Super Bowl-record-tying 11 receptions for 133 yards against the Eagles.

"They did a good job of getting him in the open zone and sitting him down on some crossing patterns," says Eagles safety Brian Dawkins.

Branch didn't get into the end zone, but he consistently tore away at the Philadelphia secondary, and he made the play of the game for the Patriots early in the fourth quarter. Ahead, 21-14, New England was facing second-and-13 from the 50. Branch was well-covered by Sheldon Brown, but still he came down with the ball for a 19-yard gain.

"I thought he made a heck of a catch over the middle," says Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

A roughing-the-passer penalty on the play moved the ball another 15 yards. The drive stalled, but Adam Vinatieri kicked a 22-yard field goal that turned out to be the difference in the game.

Branch's 11 catches tied a record held by the Bengals' Dan Ross (Super Bowl 16) and the 49ers' Jerry Rice (Super Bowl 23). Keeping company with Rice is beyond Branch's wildest dreams.

"You can't even speak of it," he says. "Just to be alongside a guy like that is an honor. He was my role model growing up, and he still is."

This is only Branch's third year in the league, but it has been a pretty impressive three seasons, particularly for a guy who had trouble even getting started as a football player.

In junior high, a coach--also a family friend--pulled Branch off the team bus and stopped him from playing because he was so small. A couple of years later, Branch convinced that coach, his high school offensive coordinator, that he could--and should--play.

A lack of academic commitment killed Branch's dreams of playing at the University of Florida. Instead, he went to junior college and eventually to Louisville.

He was picked by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 draft. According to Branch, the 49ers were the only other team that even considered selecting him.

"They just told me they wouldn't draft me because I'm small," says Branch. "I'm a good player, but I was too small. I was like, 'Thank you.'"

The Patriots can add their thanks to the 49ers, too.