When a team has a period of success as lengthy as the New England Patriots have, some players are going to feel that they didn’t get their due for their contributions. Deion Branch is one of them.
The Patriots’ Hall of Fame announced its All-Dynasty Team on Thursday. The undertaking is part of the creation of an exhibit to celebrate the franchise’s success since 2001, and was selected via a combination of fan voting and a panel of experts. Every member of the team played in at least one Super Bowl.
The voters selected four wide receivers: Randy Moss, Julian Edelman, Troy Brown, and Wes Welker. Notably absent was Branch, and he did not hide his displeasure with that on Twitter.
#WOWWWW pic.twitter.com/anjruSHLMM
— Deion Branch #83 #84 (@deionbranch84) October 23, 2020
It’s hard to argue with the inclusion of Edelman. Moss had three remarkable seasons with New England, even though he did not win a Super Bowl. Brown never played for any team other than the Patriots. His best season came in 2001, though that was his only 1,000-yard year and he has the least impressive profile statistically. Welker posted some huge numbers, but he, too, never won a Super Bowl. That said, he was Tom Brady’s favorite target for many years, and the two stayed close even after Welker left the organization.
Branch not only won a Super Bowl, but he was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX, when he caught 11 passes for 133 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, he never had a 1,000-yard season either.
A team like this is meant to create arguments. It has succeeded, although it seems to have stung Branch a little bit.
