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Deion Branch

WR (retired)

Deion Branch: facts drawn from the play-by-play.

FanIQ Research · May 10, 2026 · 6 facts, every one from the play-by-play

SB XXXIX MVP. 11-year career, 2x SB ring. Tom Brady's top slot WR.

Milestone

Career regular-season totals (2002-2012)

Stat	Total
Receptions	582
Receiving Yards	7,592
Receiving TDs	43
Y/R	13.0
SB MVPs	1 (XXXIX)

His 2005 NE finale before SEA trade: 78-1,008-5. Then NE re-acquired him in 2010 mid-season — and he caught 9 TDs over 2 years on his return.

Trend

Branch by team

Team	Years	Rec	Yds	TDs
NE (1st)	2002-05	213	3,067	15
SEA	2006-10	251	3,208	21
NE (2nd)	2010-12	118	1,317	7

Receiving yards by year

Season	Yards
2002	489
2003	803
2005	998
2010	877
2011	702

NE-with-Brady (combined): 331 catches, 4,384 yards, 22 TDs. The non-Brady SEA years: 251-3,208-21.

Split

Branch w/ Brady vs w/o

Era	Rec	Yds	TDs
NE (Brady)	331	4,384	22
SEA (Hass/Wallace)	251	3,208	21
Career	582	7,592	43

SB XXXIX MVP on 11 catches, 133 yards. Just the 7th WR in history (at the time) to win SB MVP.

Rare

Branch SB XXXIX MVP

Stat	Value
Game	NE 24, PHI 21
Catches	11
Yards	133
Long	27
MVP	Yes

He's one of just 8 WRs ever to win Super Bowl MVP — joining Lynn Swann, Jerry Rice, Santonio Holmes, etc.

Comparison

WR Super Bowl MVPs

Player	SB	Year
Jerry Rice	XXIII	1989
Lynn Swann	X	1976
Deion Branch	XXXIX	2005
Santonio Holmes	XLIII	2009
Cooper Kupp	LVI	2022

He never made a Pro Bowl — yet he's a SB MVP and 2x champion. The most-decorated WR in NFL history without a Pro Bowl nod.

Anomaly

Branch resume

Honor	Count
Pro Bowls	0
All-Pro	0
SB MVPs	1
SB Rings	2
1,000-yd seasons	0

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