Football

Ex-Raider Branch dies at 71 — Cliff Branch, one of the Raiders’ career-leading wide receivers who won three Super Bowls in 14 seasons with the franchise, has died. He was 71. Branch was found dead Saturday in a hotel room in Bullhead City, Arizona, the city’s police department said. It said an initial investigation revealed no foul play and that Branch died of natural causes. One of the game’s top deep threats from 1972 to 1985 in Oakland and Los Angeles, Branch was an All-Pro three straight seasons (1974-76) and made four Pro Bowls. He scored 67 touchdowns through the air, leading the NFL in TD receptions in 1974 with 13 and in 1976 with 12. Branch also had a league-high 1,092 yards receiving in 1974. He was a force in the postseason, with 1,289 yards receiving. He stands third among Raiders pass catchers in yards receiving with 8,685, trailing Tim Brown and Fred Biletnikoff — both Hall of Famers. Branch was a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004 and 2010.

Patriots ink Brady to extension through 2021 — It appears Tom Brady will be playing his 20th NFL season under a new contract. The New England Patriots quarterback, who turned 42 on Saturday, has agreed to a contract extension with the team, according to multiple reports. ESPN reported it is a two-year extension that will pay out $23 million this season and make him the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid signal-caller. It replaces the two-year restructured deal he signed in August 2018 — a contract that was set to expire after the upcoming season. Brady’s new deal would keep him under contract through the 2021 season. At that point, Brady and the Patriots would have to decide whether he would suit up for a 23rd NFL season at the age of 45.

Nelson retires as a Packer — Veteran wide receiver Jordy Nelson is retiring as a member of the Green Bay Packers. The 34-year-old Nelson played in Green Bay from 2008-17, winning a Super Bowl with the Packers, before spending last season with the Oakland Raiders. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Sunday that Nelson had informed the team of his decision. A news conference was planned for Tuesday. Nelson had 550 receptions and 69 touchdown catches in his 10 seasons in Green Bay. He made the Pro Bowl in 2014, missed the 2015 season with a knee injury and was named the 2016 Comeback Player of the Year.

TENNIS

Daughter of Bills’ owners wins Citi Open — Jessica Pegula’s parents are used to seeing the athletes they root for come up short: Mom and Dad own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. On Sunday, their daughter was the one holding a trophy after winning her first WTA title. Pegula, a 25-year-old American ranked 79th, picked up the biggest win of her professional tennis career by beating Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-2, 6-2 at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. “It’s been extremely gratifying. This is what you work for: to win tournaments. It sounds cliche, (but) the journey makes it all that much sweeter,” said Pegula, who recently began working with David Witt, Venus Williams’ former coach. She had a 4-8 record and had not reached the quarterfinals anywhere this season until winning five consecutive matches at Washington’s hard-court tournament.

— Bulletin wire reports