Los Angeles Rams · Franchise era 4 of 7
Decline and the move to St. Louis: the Los Angeles Rams story
Franchise era
1990—1998
Decline and the move to St. Louis
Los Angeles Rams
The story in one sentence
The final Anaheim teams faded before Georgia Frontiere moved the club to St. Louis, where Bruce became the first piece of a sudden offensive leap.
A franchise changes cities while rebuilding
Jim Everett, Jerome Bettis and Isaac Bruce gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the greatest show on turf.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1990
What came before
The Rams won seven straight division titles and reached the 1979 Super Bowl, but Dallas, Minnesota and San Francisco repeatedly blocked the path.
April 20, 1996
The trade that made Jerome Bettis a Pittsburgh icon
The Rams had shifted away from Bettis after only three seasons. Pittsburgh saw the power runner capable of restoring the identity lost when Franco Harris departed.
16Career reclamationApril 20, 1996PIT⇄STLJerome Bettis to PittsburghPittsburgh acquired Jerome Bettis and a third-round pick from St. Louis for second- and fourth-round selections.4 assets · 1 outcomes＋
The original receipt
Pittsburgh Steelers received
- • Jerome Bettis
- • 1996 third-round pick
St. Louis Rams received
- • 1996 second-round pick
- • 1997 fourth-round pick
Bettis rushed for more than 10,000 yards as a Steeler, became the face of the franchise and retired immediately after winning Super Bowl XL in his hometown.
Open full trade tree →After 1998
What came next
Warner's emergence, Faulk's versatility and a deep receiving corps produced two Super Bowls and the championship after the 1999 season.
The core