Caleb Branch

The Branch family and Florida

Caleb and his twin brother Devin were born on February 2, 2073, eight months after their older brother Devonta. The brothers grew up in a loving household in Charlotte. Caleb and Devin played wide receiver in high school before becoming quarterbacks. All three eventually started in the NFL.

Caleb attended Florida from 2092 through 2095, wearing #9. He redshirted in 2092 and belonged to four consecutive national championship teams, starting the final three. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2093, passing for 5,433 yards, 55 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He followed with 4,366 yards, 39 touchdowns and 36 interceptions in 2094, then 4,877 yards, 41 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 2095. His three starting seasons totaled 14,676 yards, 135 touchdowns and 78 interceptions.

Cincinnati · 2096–2102

Cincinnati drafted Branch third overall in 2096. Wearing #13, he earned three Pro Bowl selections across seven seasons. An exceptional defense and running back Cash Thompson helped the Bengals reach four consecutive Super Bowls from 2099 through 2102. They defeated Dallas 37–9 and Minnesota 26–20 before losing to Devin Branch’s Giants 29–26 and Chicago 30–17. Thompson won both Cincinnati championship MVP awards.

Branch’s individual performances remained inconsistent. In the two championship games he combined for one touchdown pass and six interceptions. Ownership considered him replaceable, a judgment that became decisive when his contract came up after 2102.

Trade to Washington

Branch sought compensation among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Cincinnati offered a salary closer to that of a top-25 quarterback. He requested a trade, and Washington acquired him for one first-round pick and three seventh-round picks. The dispute centered on ownership rather than his former teammates or Cincinnati’s supporters.

His five-year Washington contract covered 2103–2107 and made him the league’s highest-paid quarterback. A second contract covered 2108–2113, with a lower overall salary and greater guarantees. His 2114 contractual arrangement remains TBD. He wore #9, which Washington later retired.

Washington and the championship years · 2103–2110

Branch won NFL MVP in 2103, 2104, 2105, 2107, 2108 and 2109; none was unanimous. His first Washington Super Bowl ended in a 46–40 loss to Denver, but his 517 yards, four touchdown passes and no interceptions earned him the game’s MVP. Devonta’s Broncos defeated Washington again in 2104, 2106 and 2107.

In 2105 Branch defeated Cincinnati 23–20, completing 18 of 20 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns for a 158.3 rating. His regular season produced career highs of 5,127 yards and 50 touchdowns.

Washington lost 22–16 to Devin’s Texans in 2108. Caleb left injured at halftime and did not return. A year later he completed all sixteen passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns in a 17–13 victory over Houston. In 2110 he threw six touchdowns in Washington’s 48–16 win over Miami. He won MVP in all three Washington victories.

Final seasons and broadcasting

Washington lost the NFC Championship in 2111 and 2112 and the Divisional Round in 2113. Branch returned to the Super Bowl in 2114, where Denver won 39–6. He threw six interceptions without a touchdown in his final NFL game. Denver’s championship was subsequently vacated because of Spy Gate 2.0.

After retiring, Branch became a respected, outspoken NFL color commentator for decades.