Isaac Bruce facts for kids
Bruce in 2013
|
|||||||
| No. 80, 88 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 10, 1972 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 188 lb (85 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) |
||||||
| College: |
|
||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1994 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
|
Pro Football Hall of Fame
|
|||||||
Isaac Bruce (born November 10, 1972) is a famous American former professional football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Bruce was picked by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1994 NFL draft. Before that, he played college football for the West Los Angeles Wildcats, Santa Monica Corsairs, and the Memphis Tigers.
Isaac Bruce was an All-Pro player and was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times. He gained an amazing 15,208 receiving yards in his career, which is one of the highest totals ever. He played for the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams for 14 years. With the Rams, he won a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXIV. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers. During his time with the Rams, he was a key player in their famous offense called "The Greatest Show on Turf". In 2020, Isaac Bruce was honored by being chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Isaac Bruce was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He went to Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale and graduated in 1990. As a senior, he was a star player for the Panthers football team. He caught 39 passes for 644 yards. He was also chosen for the All-County team. Bruce helped lead his team to the 1989 Florida State 4-A Championship.
College Football Career
Isaac Bruce first planned to play college football for the Purdue Boilermakers. However, his test scores were too low for Purdue to accept him. So, Bruce decided to attend West Los Angeles College. After that, he went to Santa Monica College. Finally, he transferred to the Memphis State University. There, he played alongside another future NFL receiver, Russell Copeland.
In 1992, his first year at Memphis, Bruce had 39 catches for 532 yards and five touchdowns. In 1993, he became the first wide receiver in Memphis history to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He finished that season with a school-record 74 catches for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns. Bruce earned a degree in physical education from Memphis. He is the only player from Memphis to be chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Professional NFL Career
Joining the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams picked Isaac Bruce in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft. He was the 33rd player chosen overall. On July 14, 1994, he signed a three-year contract with the Rams. In his first year, he won the 1994 Carroll Rosenbloom Award. This award is given to the team's rookie of the year. His very first NFL catch was a 34-yard touchdown pass.
Moving to St. Louis and Becoming a Star
In 1995, the Rams team moved to St. Louis. In his first year there, Bruce was named the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week. This was after he blocked a punt that helped the Rams win a game. He also had an amazing game where he caught 10 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
In 1995, Bruce had 119 catches for 1,781 yards. This was the second-highest total for a single season in NFL history at that time. It is still the fifth-highest ever. He broke four Rams' records that year, including most receiving yards and most catches. Bruce was also voted a first alternate for the Pro Bowl and was named the Rams MVP.
In 1996, Bruce led the entire NFL with 1,338 receiving yards. He became the first Rams receiver in years to have two straight seasons with over 1,000 yards. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl.
Overcoming Injuries and Super Bowl Glory
In 1997 and 1998, Bruce faced some challenges with hamstring injuries. He missed several games during these seasons. However, when he played, he still showed his talent. In 1997, he had another game with over 200 receiving yards.
In 1999, Bruce had a fantastic season. He was named Second-team All-Pro and went to his second Pro Bowl. He caught 77 passes for 1,165 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Rams had a great 13–3 record and made it to the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXXIV, Bruce caught a 73-yard touchdown pass from Kurt Warner. This play gave the Rams a 23–16 lead, which ended up being the game-winning score!
Before the 2000 season, Bruce signed a big new contract with the Rams. In 2000, he was a Pro Bowler again, catching 87 passes for 1,471 yards and 9 touchdowns. He and teammate Torry Holt became only the second pair of wide receivers from the same team to each gain over 1,400 yards in one season.
In 2001, the Rams returned to the Super Bowl, but they lost to the New England Patriots. Bruce made the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. He also became the Rams' all-time leader in 100-yard receiving games, 1,000-yard seasons, and receiving touchdowns.
In 2002, Bruce became the Rams' all-time leader in total receptions. He also had his fourth straight season with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Later Years with the Rams
In 2003, Bruce became the Rams' all-time leader in receiving yards, passing his coach Henry Ellard. He also set a team record for most 100-yard receiving games in the playoffs.
In 2004, Bruce had another strong season with 89 catches for 1,292 yards. He started the season with four straight games of over 100 receiving yards.
In 2005, Bruce entered the season as the NFL's active leader in career receiving yards. However, a foot injury caused him to miss five games. He still reached 800 career receptions.
In 2006, the Rams re-signed Bruce to a new contract. He had his eighth career season with over 1,000 receiving yards. In 2007, he continued to climb the all-time receiving yards list, passing James Lofton to become third all-time.
On February 28, 2008, the Rams released Bruce.
Time with the San Francisco 49ers
On February 29, 2008, Isaac Bruce signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He joined his former coach, Mike Martz. Jerry Rice, a legendary 49ers player, even gave Bruce permission to wear his retired number 80. However, Bruce chose to wear number 88 instead.
On December 21, 2008, in a game against his old team, the St. Louis Rams, Bruce caught his 1,000th career reception. It was a 3-yard touchdown catch! The St. Louis fans cheered loudly for their former star player.
After thinking about retiring, Bruce decided to play one more season with the 49ers in 2009. He wanted to help the team reach the playoffs and win a Super Bowl.
On June 7, 2010, Bruce was traded back to the Rams. This allowed him to retire as a Ram, which was a special way to end his career. He was the last player from the original Los Angeles Rams team to retire.
Career Achievements and Awards
Isaac Bruce achieved many great things during his NFL career:
- 2020: He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- 2010: His jersey number 80 was retired by the Rams, meaning no other player can wear it.
- 2009: He became only the second wide receiver in NFL history to gain more than 15,000 receiving yards.
- 2008: He reached 1,000 career receptions.
- 2006: He received the National Sportsmanship Award.
- 1999: He was a Super Bowl XXXIV champion with the St. Louis Rams.
- 1996: He was chosen for the Pro Bowl and led the entire league in receiving yards.
- 1995: He recorded 119 receptions, which was the most in NFL history for a player aged 25 or younger at the time.
Personal Life
Isaac Bruce is a Christian. He was nicknamed "The Reverend" because he once said he wanted to become a reverend after his football career. He also thought about becoming a substitute teacher.
Bruce is married to Clegzette Bruce, and they have two daughters. He is also the older cousin of Canadian Football League wide receiver Arland Bruce. His younger cousin is former NFL running back Derrick Moore. Bruce is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Helping Others
Since 1996, Isaac Bruce has been very involved in helping his community. He has given tickets to home games to different schools and youth groups. He also partnered with an organization to provide jerseys and limousine rides for children. He was a spokesman for United Way and supported their African American Leadership Giver program. In 2008, he recorded a public service announcement for the RESPECT! Campaign, which works against domestic violence.
