Isaac Bruce

Bruce was selected in the 2nd round (33rd overall) by the Los Angeles Rams.

In accomplishing this feat, Isaac Bruce surpassed former Houston Oilers WR Charley Hennigan’s 34-year-old record of 1,746 set in 1961.

Isaac Isidore Bruce (born November 10, 1972) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL).

As a senior for the Panthers football team, he caught 39 passes for 644 yards (16.5 yards per rec. avg.), was an All-County selection, and led his team to the 1989 Florida State 4-A Championship.

He graduated from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale in 1990.

Bruce originally signed his letter of intent to play college football for the Purdue Boilermakers in 1990, but his SAT scores were too low for Purdue to accept him.

Bruce then decided to attend West Los Angeles College, then to Santa Monica College before transferring to the Memphis State University, where he played beside fellow future NFL receiver Russell Copeland.

He became the first Rams receiver since Henry Ellard in 1990 and 1991 to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

In 1992, Bruce's first year with Memphis, he had 39 receptions for 532 yards and five touchdowns.

In 1993, he became the first wide receiver in program history to post a 1,000-yard receiving season.

He finished the season with a school-record 74 catches for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He earned a degree from Memphis in physical education, and he is the only Memphis player to be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL draft after playing college football for the West Los Angeles Wildcats, the Santa Monica Corsairs, and most notably with the Memphis Tigers.

An All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection, Bruce amassed 15,208 receiving yards in his career (fifth all-time).

He played the first 14 years with the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams and won a Super Bowl ring with the team in Super Bowl XXXIV over the Tennessee Titans.

He also played for the San Francisco 49ers.

During his time with the Rams, he was the leading wide receiver of "The Greatest Show on Turf".

He signed a 3-year, $1.75 million contract with the Rams on July 14, 1994.

He earned the 1994 Carroll Rosenbloom Award, given to the team rookie of the year.

He was also voted Rams Rookie of the Year by Orange County Sports Association and the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association.

His first NFL reception was a 34-yard touchdown throw from Chris Miller at Atlanta on September 11, 1994.

He moved with the team to St. Louis in 1995.

In 1995, Bruce was named the NFC's week 1 Special Teams player of the Week after blocking a punt that contributed to a Rams win.

He was also the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for week 6 following a 10-catch, 191 yard, 2 TD performance.

His total receiving yards for 1995 (119 catches for 1,781 yards) was second only to Jerry Rice’s then record of 1,848 yards for one season, and is still the fifth most in a single season.

In 1996, Bruce led his team with 84 receptions and led the NFL with 1,338 yards.

Against the Baltimore Ravens on October 27, 1996, he caught 11 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown.

On November 30, 1996, Bruce was re-signed by the Rams to a 4-year $12.1 million contract extension.

In 1996 Bruce was also voted to his first Pro Bowl, after having been an alternate the season before.

In the following seasons, Bruce was hampered by hamstring injuries.

In 1997, he missed the first six games due to injury and in 1998 he missed the final nine games (he also missed two other games earlier in the season).

In Atlanta on November 2, 1997, Bruce had another 200-yard game, totaling 10 catches, 233 yards and recording 2 touchdowns.

Prior to his injury in 1998 in a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, Bruce had 11 catches for 192 yards and an 80-yard touchdown.

In 1999, Bruce was a Second-team All-Pro and was voted to his second Pro Bowl.

Bruce’s 119 catches also ranks 12th on the NFL’s all-time single-season reception list.

Bruce further broke four Rams’ records, including most receiving yards, most receptions, most consecutive 100-yard receiving games (6) and most 100-yard games (9).

Bruce made USA Today’s All-Joe team, All-Madden, and All-Pro by Sports Illustrated and he was voted a first alternate to the Pro Bowl.

He was also awarded the Rams MVP.

In 2020, Bruce was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bruce was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.