The Greatest Show on Turf was the
nicknameA nickname is a descriptive name given in place of or in addition to the official name of a person, place or thing. It can also be the familiar or truncated form of the proper name, which may sometimes be used simply for convenience A nickname (also spelled "nick name") is a descriptive name...
for the offense fielded by the
St. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team has won three NFL Championships, including one Super Bowl.The Rams began...
offense during
1999The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
,
2000The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, and
2001The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
seasons. The offense employed was a high-scoring attack designed by
offensive coordinatorAn offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of an American football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Mike MartzMike Martz is a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator most recently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers....
. The offense relied on getting all five receivers out into patterns that combined stretched the field, setting up defensive backs with route technique and the Quarterback throwing to a spot on time where the receiver can catch and turn up field. Pass protection is critical to success because at least two of the five receivers will run a deep in, skinny post, comeback, speed out, or shallow cross. Mike Martz credits the offensive system as being influenced by
Sid GillmanSidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football coach and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, made football into the modern game that it...
and refined by NFL coach
Don CoryellDon Coryell is a former American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973-1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He is well-known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense today is commonly known as "Air Coryell"....
. Martz learned the so called 3 digit system the offense is famous for from
Norv TurnerNorval Eugene Turner is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers...
when they were both in
WashingtonThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community...
. The Rams set a new NFL record for total offensive yards in
2000The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, with 7,335. 5,492 of those were passing yards, also a new NFL team record.
Background
The term "Greatest Show on Turf" was not used to describe the Rams offense until several weeks into the 2000 season. The first appearance of the term came when
ESPNESPN is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
's
Chris BermanChristopher James "Chris" Berman also known by the nickname Boomer is an American sportscaster. He anchors SportsCenter, Monday Night Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown, Baseball Tonight, U.S...
, preparing to cover highlights of a 57-31 win over the San Diego Chargers that year, said to television audiences, "Forget
Ringling BrothersRingling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses separately until they were finally merged in...
; the Rams are the Greatest Show on Earth." Over the following weeks, "Earth" was replaced with "Turf" to signify the Rams'
artificial playing surfaceArtificial turf, or Astroturf, is a man-made surface manufactured from synthetic made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
and how well it served the Rams' already speedy offense. The term was retroactively applied to the 1999 team, as the offensive philosophy and key players were the same.
The Greatest Show On Turf was anchored by
running backA running back is the position of a player on an American or Canadian football team who usually lines up in the offensive backfield...
Marshall FaulkMarshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access on the NFL Network. He played football in college for San Diego State University, before being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1994...
,
NFL Offensive Player of the YearThe NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award is given annually by the Associated Press to the offensive player of the National Football League believed to have had the most outstanding season...
for three consecutive years from
1999The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
through
2001The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
,
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the center, in the middle of the offensive line. Quarterbacks are the leaders of the offensive team, responsible for calling the play in the huddle...
Kurt WarnerKurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994. He played college football at Northern Iowa.Warner first reached...
, 2-time
NFL MVPThe National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. The AP NFL MVP has been shared three times, in 1960, 1997, and 2003...
, the receiving duo of
Isaac BruceIsaac Isidore Bruce is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
and
Torry HoltTorrance "Torry" Jabar Holt nicknamed "Big Game" is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, as well as
Az-Zahir HakimAz-Zahir Ali Hakim is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
and veteran
Ricky ProehlRichard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 16 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...
. Together they became the only team in NFL history to score 500+ points in 3 consecutive seasons. No other team has ever done it two seasons in a row. Quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk finished first and second in MVP voting each of the three years, also an achievement unmatched by any offense in NFL history.
The Rams went 13-3, 10-6, and 14-2 in those three seasons, respectively, and reached the playoffs every year (interesting to note that in each of the three seasons, the Rams started 6-0 each time before dropping their first game). In 1999, the team reached
Super Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
and defeated the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the then-Houston, Texas, team began play in 1960 as a...
to claim the first franchise championship in almost half a century. The Rams lost in the first round of the 2000 playoffs to the
New Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints play in the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, but returned the next year to reach
Super Bowl XXXVISuper Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots win their first Super...
, where they ultimately fell to the
New England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the...
.
Though much less heralded, the St. Louis defense during those three seasons was critical to the overall team performance. In 2000, when the Rams scrambled just to reach the playoffs, the defense was ranked among the NFL's worst. In 1999 and 2001, when the Rams reached the Super Bowl, the defense statistically ranked among the NFL's best - and ironically enough, it was a last-second defensive stop known as "The Tackle" by Rams linebacker
Mike JonesMichael Anthony Jones is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. During his NFL career, which started in 1991 and ended after 2002, Jones played on three teams: the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, the St...
that sealed the Rams' championship in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Records and achievements
- The St. Louis Rams scored 526 points in the 1999 season, a team record which was broken in 2000 when they accumulated 540 points. For their last consecutive 500+ season, the Rams scored 503 points in 2001. These three seasons of 1,569 points were the most points scored by any team over any three-year stretch.
- 1999: The Rams were first in the league in passing (4,580 yards), yards per pass attempt (8.64), passing touchdowns (41) and total offensive yards (6,639).
- 2000: The Rams were first in the league in total offense (7,335 yards), completions (380), passing yards (5,492), yards per pass attempt (9.36), passing touchdowns (37) and rushing touchdowns (26).
- 2001: The Rams were again first in the league in total offense (6,930 yards), completions (379), passing yards (4,903), yards per pass attempt (8.90), passing touchdowns (37), rushing touchdowns (20) and yards per rush attempt (4.87)
Kurt Warner
Quarterback Kurt Warner was cut in training camp by the
Green Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League and are the third-oldest franchise in the NFL.The Packers are the last vestige of "small town...
in
1994The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, then had a workout with the
Chicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the NFC North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
fall through due to a
scorpionScorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. There are about 2,000 species of scorpions, found widely distributed south of about 49° N, except New Zealand and Antarctica...
sting-Biology:* Stinger, an organ or body part found in various animals that usually delivers some kind of venom.* Stinger , a minor neurological injury suffered by athletes.-Sports and entertainment:...
he got on his
honeymoonA honeymoon is the traditional holiday taken by newlyweds to celebrate their marriage in intimacy and seclusion...
. After being cut by the Packers, Warner stocked shelves at a
Hy-VeeHy-Vee is an employee-owned chain of supermarkets located in the Midwestern United States.As of August 2009, Hy-Vee operates 200 supermarkets and 26 drugstores in seven states. Over 100 of its supermarkets are located in Iowa, with additional stores in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,...
supermarket in
Cedar Falls, IowaCedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 36,145 at the 2000 census. It has the smaller population of the two principal cities in the Cedar Falls-Waterloo, Iowa...
. He was a starter with the
Iowa BarnstormersThe New York Dragons are an Arena Football League team who were formed in as the Iowa Barnstormers. In , the team relocated to New York. They currently play in the Eastern Division of the National Conference...
of the
Arena Football LeagueThe Arena Football League was founded in 1987 as an indoor American football by Jim Foster. It was played indoors on a smaller field than American football, resulting in a faster-paced and higher-scoring game...
and then continued to the
Amsterdam AdmiralsThe Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
of
NFL EuropeNFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
before ultimately signing with the Rams as a backup to
Trent GreenTrent Jason Green is a retired American football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University....
.
After Green was injured in the 1999 pre-season and would miss the regular season, many speculated that the season was over for St. Louis. However, the Rams — and Warner in particular — lit up defenses throughout the league. Warner threw 41
touchdownA touchdown is the term for scoring American and Canadian football.-Description:To score a touchdown, one team must take the football into the opposite end zone. This can be done by rushing, in which the ball carrier carries the football forward into the end zone. It can also be done by passing,...
passes, setting a new franchise mark, and his 109.2
quarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the center, in the middle of the offensive line. Quarterbacks are the leaders of the offensive team, responsible for calling the play in the huddle...
rating was the third highest (for a minimum of 200 attempts) in a season next to
Joe MontanaFor the actor with a similarly pronounced name, see Joe Mantegna.Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr., , nicknamed Joe Cool and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player whose professional career in the National Football League spanned the late 1970s through the mid-1990s...
(112.4) and Steve Young (112.8). (The record now is owned solely by
Peyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. One of only two three-time NFL MVPs, he is statistically regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time...
after his record-breaking
2004The 2004 season of the National Football League was the 85th season for the major professional American football league in the United States. With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
season.)
The Rams finished 13-3, a franchise best record for the 16 game schedule (a mark which would be later broken by the 2001 Rams, when they finished 14-2). Offensive coordinator
Mike MartzMike Martz is a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator most recently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers....
's innovative variation on the Coryell offensive system suited Warner well; he threw only 13 interceptions during the regular season. Mike Martz, the offensive coordinator of the Rams, was the innovator behind this offense, and he would be regarded as one of the most ingenious coordinators of his time. The Rams first demolished the
Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional football team based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings compete in the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . Prior to divisional realignment in 2002, they had been a member of the Central Division, also...
in a shoot-out in the divisional round, where Warner burned the Minnesota secondary for 391 yards and five touchdowns en route to victory. In the NFC Championship, the Rams faced the
Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are aprofessional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team, along with the Seattle Seahawks, joined the NFL in as expansion teams...
, coached by
Tony DungyAnthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
. Facing one of the league's best defenses, Warner had one of the worst post-season performances of his career, throwing three interceptions to the heavily loaded Buccaneers secondary which featured
John LynchJohn Terrence Lynch, Jr. is a retired American football strong safety of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford....
,
Donnie AbrahamNathaniel Donnell Abraham , is a former American football cornerback. In his career, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New York Jets . After considering retirement since the 2004 season ended, he finally decided to do so on July 15, 2005.He is now the head coach for Gibbs High School....
, and
Ronde BarberJamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
. However, the Rams proved they were more than just a good offensive team, as they prevented Tampa Bay from scoring any touchdowns, allowed only two
field goalsA field goal in U.S. football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play .A field goal may be scored by a placekick or the now very rare drop kick...
, and intercepted
Shaun KingShaun Earl King is a football analyst on ESPN First Take and former Tulane University and National Football League quarterback.-High School:...
twice. Trailing 6-5 late in the 4th quarter, Warner engineered the game-winning drive culminating in the go-ahead touchdown pass to
Ricky ProehlRichard Scott Proehl is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 16 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts...
to send the Rams to the Super Bowl with an 11-6 victory.
Warner's best moment was yet to come, however, as he threw for a Super Bowl record 414 yards, to go with two touchdown passes, including a dramatic 72-yard game winner to
Isaac BruceIsaac Isidore Bruce is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
, against the
Tennessee TitansThe Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the then-Houston, Texas, team began play in 1960 as a...
in
Super Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
, winning
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Marshal Faulk
Faulk was traded from the
Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
to St. Louis in
1999The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
. Faulk had been an elite player in Indianapolis, but in St. Louis he put up some of the best all-purpose numbers in the history of the NFL. Indianapolis finished 13-3 but were knocked off in the first round, while the
RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team has won three NFL Championships, including one Super Bowl.The Rams began...
eventually went on to win
Super Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
.
It was a storybook season. Faulk's patience and diligence in learning the Rams offense paid off when he totaled 2,429 yards from scrimmage, eclipsing
Barry SandersBarry David Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders is best known for being one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history, and left the game just short of the all-time rushing record.-Early...
' 2,358 yards set in
1997The 1997 NFL season was the 78th regular season of the National Football League. The Oilers relocated from Houston, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee...
. With 1,381 yards rushing (a superb 5.5 yards-per-carry average) and 1,048 receiving yards, Faulk joined Roger Craig as the only men to total 1,000+ yards in each category in a season. For all this effort and success, he was named Offensive Player of the Year and starter for the
NFCThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . The NFC was created after the league merged with the American Football League in 1970. The NFC had 13 teams that year, all of which played in the NFL before the merger...
squad in the
2000 Pro BowlThe 2000 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 2000 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii Attendance— 50,112. The game was broadcast by ABC with a running time of three hours and sixteen minutes. The final score was NFC 51, AFC 31. The AFC coach was Tom Coughlin of Jacksonville.The NFC coach...
.
Faulk was the MVP in
2000The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
, and again the Offensive Player of the Year. He had 1,359 yards rushing in 14 games and set a new NFL record with 26 total TDs, a record that would soon be broken by
Priest HolmesPriest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
, then by
Shaun AlexanderShaun Edward Alexander is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama....
, and later
LaDainian TomlinsonLaDainian Tomlinson is an American football running back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. Tomlinson was drafted in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft in which he was part of an infamous trade which sent him to the Chargers and the 1st overall pick, Michael Vick to...
in 2006 (although it should be noted Faulk missed 2 games in
2000The 2000 NFL season was the 81st regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXXV when the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New York Giants.Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000...
). Faulk had 18 scores on the ground, setting a new franchise record, and 8 through the air. He also averaged 5+ yards per carry again, this time with 5.4.
From
1999The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
to
2001The 2001 NFL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Football League.Following a pattern set in 1999, the first week of the season was permanently moved to the weekend following Labor Day...
Marshall Faulk had what may have been the best consecutive seasons in league history. In that span, he scored 59 total TD's, rang up 6,765 total yards of offense (4,122 rushing and 2,643 receiving) and won the Most Valuable Player award and three Offensive Player of the Year awards. He was also named All-NFC, ALL-NFL, and selected for the
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
in each of those years.
Isaac Bruce
Bruce was selected in the 2nd round (33rd overall pick) of the
NFL DraftThe NFL Draft is an annual two-day event in which the 32 NFL teams select new players from the NCAA college system. It is the NFL's most common source of player recruitment.-Venue:...
in
1994The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
, by the Los Angeles Rams.
One of the Rams most enduring players, Isaac Bruce was originally drafted as a Los Angeles Ram and was with the team since their years of futility in the mid 90s to the years of the Greatest Show on Turf.
Over his career, he has 14,070 yards receiving, 940 receptions, 8 1,000+ Seasons, 40 100+ yardage and 84 receiving touchdowns, all of which are team records he holds. He is arguably one of the best pure route runners to play
wide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the NFL.
Bruce's most notable catch came in
Super Bowl XXXIVSuper Bowl XXXIV featured the National Football Conference champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference champion Tennessee Titans in an American football game to decide the National Football League champion for the 1999 regular season...
. With under 2:00 minutes left in the game, he caught a 73-yard pass from QB
Kurt WarnerKurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994. He played college football at Northern Iowa.Warner first reached...
, which ultimately would clinch the Rams only
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier association of professional American football. In most years, the Super Bowl is the most-watched American television broadcast. Many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and...
win.
In
1995The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
, he had 1,781 receiving yards, second only to
Jerry RiceJerry Lee Rice is an American former football player. He is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver ever and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
(1,848) and was 5th ever for receptions (119). During the 1996 season, he led the league in yards (1,338). In
1999The 1994 NFL season was the 75th regular season of the National Football League. To honor the NFL's 75th season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season...
, Bruce totaled 1,165 yards receiving on only 77 receptions (15.2 yards per reception) and led the Rams with 12 touchdowns.
Torry Holt
A rookie during the Rams'
1999The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier association of professional American football. In most years, the Super Bowl is the most-watched American television broadcast. Many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and...
championship season, Torry Holt has become one of the premier wide receivers in the league. In 7 years, he has had 5
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
invitations. Holt also averages the most receiving yards per season, and he has had 2 1,600 yard seasons, giving him a feat only future Hall of Famers
Jerry RiceJerry Lee Rice is an American former football player. He is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver ever and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
and
Marvin HarrisonMarvin Daniel Harrison is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Colts with the 19th pick in the 1996 NFL Draft...
can match. Holt was criticized earlier in his career because of his lack of touchdowns, and people did not see him as a major red zone option, especially in a goal line situation. However, he silenced all critics by compiling 31 touchdowns in his last 3 seasons. Holt led the league in receptions and yards in
2003The 2003 regular season of the National Football League was the 84th one played by the major professional American football league in the United States. Regular season play was held from September 4, 2003 to December 28...
, that year the Rams went 12-4 (missing out on homefield advantage due to an upset loss to the
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit....
), and lost in a double overtime against the eventual NFC Champions, the
Carolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, representing North Carolina and South Carolina in the National Football League. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Az-Zahir Hakim
Hakim was another player instrumental to the success of The Greatest Show on Turf. He was with the Rams for four seasons (1998-2001) before being signed as a free agent to the Detroit Lions. During the 1999 season, he caught 36 passes for 677 yards, which would bring in 8 touchdowns for the Rams. For his four season run with the Rams he accumulated a total of 2,032 yards with 16 touchdown receptions. Additionally, Hakim served as the team's punt returner and was among the league leaders in 1999 and 2000. For the 2006 season, he was with the
San Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are an American Professional Football team based in San Diego, California. They are currently members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League...
.
Ricky Proehl
Proehl (WR) had been in the NFL for an impressive 17 seasons and spent 5 of them with the St. Louis Rams between 1998-2002. During this time he was able to accumulate a total of 207 receptions and 2,590 receiving yards. At the 2000 NFC Championship, he caught the winning touchdown that allowed the Rams to beat Tampa Bay 11-6. Again, he caught a touchdown pass late in the game during
Super Bowl XXXVISuper Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots win their first Super...
which at the time tied the game at 17-17, but the Patriots kicked a last-second field goal to win 20-17. He played the 2006 season with the Indianapolis Colts, but following their
Super Bowl XLISuper Bowl XLI was an American football game that featured the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion Chicago Bears to decide the National Football League champion for the 2006 season...
win has retired.
Decline of The Greatest Show on Turf
The 2002 NFL season is seen retrospectively by many Rams fans as the first season not being the "Greatest Show on Turf," though the team was frequently referred to as such for several seasons after 2001. The team had a record of 7-9 in 2002 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons; many referred to this as a "Super Bowl Hangover" for the Rams because they lost a Super Bowl they were favored so heavily to win. Expectations were for the Rams to bounce back in 2003, so the name stuck even though the Rams were not the same team and did not enjoy the same level of success.
Kurt Warner struggled with the team after
Super Bowl XXXVISuper Bowl XXXVI was an American football game played on February 3, 2002 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 2001 regular season. The American Football Conference champion New England Patriots win their first Super...
, and with the emergence of
Marc BulgerMarc Robert Bulger is a professional football player, and currently is the starting quarterback for the St. Louis Rams. He was voted MVP of the 2004 Pro Bowl. He was born in on April 5, 1977, and was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, was made expendable and released following the 2003 season; he is currently with division rival
Arizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American Football team based in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals are members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Cardinals were founded in 1898, and are the oldest continuously run professional...
. Bruce, the teams's all-time leading receiver and the team's last remaining player that was with the team in
Los AngelesLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
, was released by the Rams following the 2007 season after 14 years with the team and is currently with the
archrivalThe rivalry between San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League began in 1950. The rivalry became one of the most intense in the NFL in the 1970's as the two California based teams regularly competed for the NFL's NFC West Division title. After the Rams move to St...
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team. The team plays its home games in San Francisco, California, while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara...
. Marshall Faulk retired in 2007 after missing the 2006 season due to injuries, while Ricky Proehl retired the same offseason after stints in
CarolinaThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, representing North Carolina and South Carolina in the National Football League. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and
IndianapolisThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. Az-Zahir Hakim is (at the moment) out of the NFL and currently, a
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
. Torry Holt was traded in 2009 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
See also
- ESPN.com: Best Offense of All Time
- ESPN.com: Readers List of Best Offenses of All Time
- Fantasy Football Bookmarks: The Greatest Show on Turf
- 1999 St. Louis Rams season
The 1999 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 62nd year with the National Football League and the fifth season in St. Louis, Missouri. The Rams finished the regular-season with a record of 13-3, and the NFC West Championship. The Rams were 8-0 at home for the first time since 1973. On the road,...
- 2000 St. Louis Rams season
The 2000 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 63rd year with the National Football League and the sixth season in St. Louis. The Rams finished the regular-season with a record of 10-6 but would go on to lose to the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. They led the NFL in...
- 2001 St. Louis Rams season
The 2001 St. Louis Rams season was the 64th season for the team in the National Football League and seventh season in St. Louis. The Rams set a franchise record for wins in a season , and quarterback Kurt Warner won his second league M.V.P. award...
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses separately until they were finally merged in...
(origin of the nickname)