Melvin Leroy Branch (February 15, 1937 – April 21, 1992) was a college and professional American football defensive end for the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins in the American Football League (AFL). He was a member of the "Chinese Bandits" defense for the national championship winning 1958 LSU Tigers football 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.