:Mel Branch

{{Short description|American football player (1937–1992)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Mel Branch

| image = Mel Branch 1960.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Branch {{circa}} 1960

| number = 87, 86

| position = Defensive end

| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|02|15}}

| birth_place = Leesville, Louisiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|04|21|1937|02|15}}

| death_place = DeRidder, Louisiana, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lb = 230

| high_school = DeRidder

| college = LSU

| draftyear = 1960

| draftround = 10

| draftpick = 118

| afldraftyear = 1960

| afldraftround = Second selections

| afldraftpick =

| pastteams =

• Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs (1960–1965)
• Miami Dolphins (1966–1968)

| highlights =

• AFL champion (1962)
• 2× First-team All-AFL (1960, 1962)
• Second-team All-AFL (1963)
• 3× AFL All-Star (1961–1963)
• AFL sacks co-leader (1960)
• National champion (1958)

| statleague = AFL

| statlabel1 = Sacks

| statvalue1 = 57

| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue2 = 3

| statlabel3 = Games played

| statvalue3 = 126

| statlabel4 = Games started

| statvalue4 = 103

| pfr = BranMe00

}}

Melvin Leroy Branch (February 15, 1937 – April 21, 1992) was an American football defensive end who played for the Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins in the American Football League (AFL).

While playing college football for the LSU Tigers, he was a member of the "Chinese Bandits" defense for the 1958 national champion team, and a starter for the Texans in their victory over the Houston Oilers in the longest professional football game played up to that time, the 1962 AFL Championship Game.