Isaac Bruce is the greatest Rams WR ever; Where is he now?
ST. LOUIS (BVM) – When talking about the “Greatest Show on Turf,” the first couple of names to be brought up are Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk. But Isaac Bruce was just as vital to that team as anyone.
Before the NFL
Bruce grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he starred for Dillard High School. As a senior, he had 39 receptions and 644 yards, leading his team to a state title.
He bounced around throughout his college days, starting out at West Los Angeles College, then transferring to Santa Monica College and later finishing at the University of Memphis.
Bruce played two seasons with the Tigers, capped off by his 1993 season where he had 74 catches, 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In the 1994 draft, the 6-foot, 188-pound receiver was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams.
NFL career
Following his rookie year, the Rams moved to St. Louis and Bruce put together one of the greatest seasons ever by an NFL receiver.
As a 23-year-old, he had 119 receptions, 1,781 yards and 13 touchdowns. His reception and yard totals were franchise records until Cooper Kupp surpassed both last season.
Bruce would follow this up with another 1,000-yard season in 1996.
He kept playing at a top-tier level in 1997 and 1998 but unfortunately dealt with various injuries throughout that time.
His season numbers from those years do not stand out because of that, but he still put up hall of fame-caliber performances including a 233-yard performance in Atlanta and a 192-yard outing against the Vikings.
Bruce returned to full health in 1999, helping lead the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV with his game-winning touchdown of 73 yards.
OTD 2000: Isaac Bruce’s 73 TD catch lifted the #STLRams to a 23-16 win over the Titans in SB XXXIV. pic.twitter.com/9XHZNxDlH0
— Bob Underwood (@bobunderwood66) January 30, 2022
The Rams would return to the Super Bowl in 2001 but lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Bruce continued to be a premier receiver for the Rams until his age-35 season when the Rams opted to release him.
In 14 seasons with the Rams franchise, Bruce accumulated 942 receptions, 14,109 yards and 84 touchdowns. These are all records for the franchise.
Bruce signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers in 2008 and in a matchup with the Rams in St. Louis, Bruce caught his 1,000 career reception.
He was traded back to the Rams in the summer of 2010, so he could retire as a member of the franchise.
Where is he now?
Now 49 years old, Bruce is back where he grew up, serving as the athletic director for the University of Fort Lauderdale.
Bruce was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020 and has his number retired by the Los Angeles Rams and the University of Memphis.
