Issac Bruce Belongs in the Hall of Fame

Super Bowl weekend saw the announcement of the 2017 NFL Hall of Fame. Kurt Warner got in on his third year of eligibility and joins Jerry Jones, LaDanian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor. Terrell Davis, Kenny Easley, and Morten Anderson. Warner joins fellow Greatest Show on Turf members, Orlando Pace, Marshall Faulk, and Aeneas Williams.

For the third straight year, Issac Bruce missed the cut and its starting to become clear that he will likely have to wait a long time if ever to get in much like Bills receiver Andre Reed and Washington receiver Art Monk had to. The reason for his continued snubbing remains slightly unclear, as Bruce has the career numbers and has a ring. He doesn’t have any personal baggage and has been an a model citizen both on and off the field.

The most likely reason probably amounts to the same thing that plagued the Hall of Fame campaigns of Reed and Monk, which was their lack of media love. The voting body of the NFL Hall of Fame isn’t nearly as sanctimonious as the Baseball Hall of Fame (though that’s getting better with time) but there is a certain level of bias that plays into this. If you don’t believe it, just ask Terrell Owens.

Owens has a better resume and highlights than just about anybody (though he’s missing a ring) but because of his on field behavior he still hasn’t been voted in. Bruce on the other hand suffers from a different problem and that is, while his numbers are impressive and he’s played in two Super Bowls (winning one) but he wasn’t flashy and doesn’t have any signature games. Bruce played fourteen years with the rams and was the last holdover from the team’s initial move from Los Angeles to St. Louis.

In his sixteen year career he amassed 91 touchdowns 12th all time, 1,024 receptions (13th all time), and 15,208 receiving yards which is 4th all time. True, he only made four pro bowls and only lead the league in receiving yards once in 1996 and made 2nd team once in 1999. Issac Bruce’s career was as solid as could be but because most of it was done with a small market team and no signature highlights these achievements have gone relatively unnoticed.

He was a corner stone for the Greatest Show on Turf and the greatest receiver in the history of the franchise. The fact that he was never a star on or off the field and he never jumped out from the pack of great receivers during his time has caused his career to be largely forgotten.

It’s a shame but considering how close he got this year there’s a chance he makes it in next year. Then again 2018 features high profile candidates such as Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Richard Seymour, Ronde Barber, Randy Moss, and Brian Dawkins, so Bruce may have to wait a few more years. It’s okay, eventually his resume will prove worthy enough but like Andre Reed and Art Monk learned, waiting is the hardest part.