Rams Trade for Bruce, Who Will Retire a Ram has 0 comments

Jun 7th 2010, 23:00 | FFN-Score: 22 points

Wide receiver Isaac Bruce, the franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, will retire a St. Louis Ram. The St. Louis Rams traded with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire Bruce, the team announced today. The Rams and Bruce will hold a news conference on Wednesday, June 9, at 12:30 p.m. in the Russell Training Center auditorium.

Bruce spent 14 seasons with the Rams after being drafted by Los Angeles in the second round (33rd overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft, and holds every major receiving record in team history, including most career receptions (942), career receiving yards (14,109) and receiving touchdowns (84). He is one of only 15 players in NFL history who lead their franchise in the three major receiving categories. Bruce also is the Rams’ leader in postseason receiving yards (759) and is the only player in team history with four 100-yard receiving games in the postseason.

In his accomplished 16-year career, Bruce ranks fifth in the NFL with 1,024 career receptions, one of only six players in NFL history to have 1,000 career receptions. He ranks second in the NFL with 15,208 career receiving yards. His 91 career receiving touchdowns rank ninth in the league.

Bruce made an immediate impact on the Rams, gaining 3,391 receiving yards in his first three seasons. Only Jerry Rice (3,575) and John Jefferson (3,431) recorded more receiving yards in their first three seasons.

In 1995, Bruce had his best statistical season of his career. He set franchise season records with 119 receptions for 1,781 receiving yards. His 119 receptions rank seventh in NFL history, while his 1,781 receiving yards rank second in the NFL annals, only behind Jerry Rice’s 1,848 receiving yards that same year. Bruce became the first Ram to catch 100 passes in one season, and also set the team record for most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (six) and most 100-yard games (nine) in a season. He became the first player in NFL history to record three consecutive games with at least 170 receiving yards (181, 191, 173).

Bruce followed that season with 84 receptions and led the NFL with 1,338 receiving yards in 1996, earning his first Pro Bowl berth. He became the first Rams player since Henry Ellard in 1990 and 1991 to post back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons and the first Rams to lead the league in receiving yards since Ellard in 1998. Bruce joined Tom Fears (1949-50) and Ellard (1989-91) as the only receivers in team history to post consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons (WR Torry Holt became the fourth in 2000-01).

In 1999, en route to a historic victory in Super Bowl XXXIV, Bruce gained his third 1,000-yard receiving season and second Pro Bowl appearance. In the playoffs, Bruce posted two 100-yard receiving performances. In the NFC Divisional Playoff game vs. Minnesota, Bruce caught a 77-yard touchdown reception from QB Kurt Warner, the second-longest pass reception in team playoff history. In Super Bowl XXXIV, Bruce caught the game-winning, 73-yard touchdown reception that capped a 162-yard receiving game.

Bruce earned Pro Bowl invitations following the 2000 and 2001 seasons, after becoming the then franchise leader in career 100-yard games and then just the second player in team history to post 500 career receptions.

Bruce posted his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season in 2002, while becoming the first player in team history with at least 600 career receptions.

In 2004, Bruce continued to break NFL receiving records, starting the season with four consecutive 100-yard receiving games, the first player to accomplish the feat since Houston’s Charley Hennigan in 1963. In 2006, Bruce notched his eighth-career 1,000-yard receiving season, tied for most in the team’s history.

Bruce spent 2008-09 with the San Francisco 49ers. On Dec. 21, 2008, while playing for the 49ers, Bruce made his 1,000 career reception against the Rams, at the place where he made most of his career receptions – in the Edward Jones Dome.