Sometimes it can be hard to tell if Isaac Bruce is joking or dead serious.
So when the St. Louis Rams legend and soon to be officially enshrined Hall of Fame receiver commented this week that he has been getting his fair share of wear out of the iconic Haggar gold jacket sent to him by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an inquiring mind wondered.
Has Bruce paired one of the most recognizable blazers in sports with a pair of comfy sweatpants? Has he started wearing it to the mailbox every morning, like a robe? Is he taking it for spins at the grocery store?
“I’ve been mowing the grass,” Bruce said.
That was a joke, I think.
“I won’t tell you every secret,” Bruce said.
But he did admit he might be pushing the due date on when he is supposed to return the jacket to the folks in Canton so it can be properly prepared for the massive August enshrinement ceremony weekend that will officially welcome the classes of 2020 and 2021 to football immortality.
“It’s a chore, trying to send it back, man” Bruce said. “It just looks so nice. It’s what just about every person who played professional football has imagined wearing. When you get one in your possession? One of my (class of 2020 Hall of Fame) classmates said it best, Jimmy Johnson. He said, ‘I know I have to give it back, but I’m not sure when and if I’m going to.'"
Here’s an unsolicited piece of advice for Hall of Fame officials. Get a good dry cleaning service prepared for Bruce’s jacket before the big day. When he first got his ring from Super Bowl XXXIV, which is the only item in his Hall of Fame career that compares to the new gold jacket, he wore the ring every day for more than a month. That's no joke.
“Sleeping, walking, doing dishes, everything," Bruce said about the ring. “I didn’t take it off. Just tried to make sure I experience all of the thrill. Eventually, the thrill is going to do the B.B. King, and it’s going to go. But wearing it and seeing it and being a part of that sense of accomplishment, having that jacket, having that ring, it’s special.”
The answer, if you were wondering and could not already tell from Bruce’s excitement, is no. Nothing about the longer than expected wait for his enshrinement date due to the COVID-19 pandemic has dulled the Hall of Fame experience for the Rams legend. Similar to his too-long wait to hear that unforgettable knock on the door in February 2020 that informed him he was finally in, the pandemic-caused decision to push back the 2020 class induction into a combined 2020-21 ceremony between Aug. 5 and 9 in Canton might even make things a little sweeter.
“As far as the ceremony is concerned, they’re looking at this as being one of the greatest that’s ever been, considering the collaboration of the two classes,” Bruce said. “That means friends and family. And most importantly, a lot of fans. To be able to participate in that, it’s going to be special. We are going to have one of the largest outdoor gatherings since the pandemic hit in Northern Ohio."
Bruce partnered with a company called Engage for a raffle benefitting the Isaac Bruce Foundation that will secure a winner flights, hotel accommodations and access for Bruce's ceremony and celebrations. His older brother, Samuel, will get to help him unveil his new bronze bust on stage. Former Rams official Tony Wyllie will be able to introduce Bruce before his speech. Such moments might have been impossible if the Hall opted for a scaled-back or Zoom-based production. All of the elements were important and worth waiting for to Bruce. Especially the introduction by Wyllie.
“When I was 21 and got drafted by the Rams in Los Angeles, he was a part of public relations,” Bruce said. “We took a liking to each other. He helped in my development as far as the public part of being a professional athlete. The way he looked out for people from our community, from the HBCUs as far as giving internships during the summer and hiring from those schools and our communities, I really respected that at a high level. And he has not slowed down doing it since."
Special bond with St. Louis
Bruce has started writing his speech, aiming for an impactful and influential message that fits within the requested eight-minute time limit for TV production. No spoilers, but fans of the St. Louis Rams can expect to hear a lot of love. Bruce's bond with St. Louis was always strong, and it seems to have grown stronger since the relocation rip-job that sent the Rams back to California.
"They (St. Louis Rams fans) saw my maturation, the ups and downs we all experienced," Bruce said. "And when I say all, I mean the players and the fans. Because they had had enough of the San Francisco 49ers just as much as I had. Think about opposing teams coming into that Dome, and how loud it was, and how hard it was for other offenses to play in our stadium. They played a huge part in the success we had.”
Bruce's foundation, which does everything from creating scholarships, to helping college-bound students handle the costs of travel to campuses across the country, to hosting a free football camp in St. Louis every summer, has a Gold Jacket Gala planned for July 23 to bring the party to St. Louis for those who can't get to Canton. But first he will be back in The Lou on Saturday to host yet another round of free football camps at the Lou Fusz Athletic Center at Rams Park. He won’t be wearing his gold jacket out there on the practice field, right?
“In the 90 degree weather?” Bruce said.
"Don’t be shocked if you see it."
