Linehan mum on Bruce’s future with Rams
December 29th, 2007 | by Kevin Morris |
By Bill Coats
After being shut out Dec. 9 at Cincinnati, wide receiver Isaac Bruce has put together two strong games. He picked up 72 yards on four catches Sunday vs. the Packers, then tacked on 87 yards on seven receptions Thursday vs. the Steelers.
Bruce, who is in his 14th season (all with the Rams), is rapidly ascending the NFL’s career lists. He now stands No. 3 in receiving yards (14,070), is tied with Art Monk for No. 6 in catches (940) and, after scoring on a 12-yard pass Thursday, is in a five-way tie for 13th in touchdown receptions (84).
This season, Bruce has caught 53 passes for 694 yards and four touchdowns. Still, he’s 35 and is due to receive $5 million in 2008, including a $2 million bonus if he’s on the Rams roster when the league season begins in early March.
So, could that have been Bruce’s last game at the Edward Jones Dome in a Rams uniform Thursday? Coach Scott Linehan was noncommital Friday when asked about Bruce’s future with the team.
“It’s all speculation,” he said. “We do all of our personnel evaluations, and players make their own decisions, once the season is over. I really don’t have any comment on anything as far as what’s going to happen when the season is over.”
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Linehan also had little else to add about the sideline kerfuffle that he and Torry Holt had late in the game. The normally placid Holt was seen shouting at Linehan, an ugly scene that was shown over and over on the telecast and during sports highlight shows later in the evening.
After the game, Linehan chalked it up to a “heat of the moment” reaction, and he didn’t waver on that view Friday.
“Sitting here at 3-12, I’m the first one to say that things are not all that pleasant. No one likes losing,” Linehan said. “Exactly what I said last night is what I say today and I’ll say tomorrow. You can ask me that question any way you want, and I’ll have the same opinion on it as I did last night. . . .
“Torry doesn’t like to lose. He’s a competitor. I don’t think anybody on our football team is happy with our record and the results of the game. I’m not surprised that people are frustrated. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I’d be disappointed if guys weren’t frustrated.”
Asked what Holt was complaining about, Linehan said: “It was nothing specific. It was the situation we got in and the fourth down (an interception by Pittsburgh’s Ike Taylor for a touchdown), and that was it. The rest of it’s between him and I. It’s over as far as I’m concerned.”
Holt declined to comment after the game and was unavailable Friday.
All for now. . .
