Tag: Nelson Spruce

Nelson Spruce scores 2 TDs in XFL with Todd Gurley in attendance

Nelson Spruce showed off with his friend Todd Gurley watching.

Nelson Spruce was a fan favorite when he was with the Los Angeles Rams in 2016. He shined in training camp with the world watching on HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” coming up big in the preseason opener against the Cowboys, too.

He never appeared in a regular-season game in the NFL due to knee and calf injuries suffered as a rookie, followed by his release in 2017, but Spruce is a name just about every Rams fan recognizes.

He was in the news this weekend as a standout for the Los Angeles Wildcats in the XFL. Though the Wildcats lost, Spruce caught two touchdown passes, doing so with Todd Gurley watching from the sidelines.

Gurley called Spruce his “little brother,” which Spruce was quick to correct.

“I’m older than Todd,” Spruce said.

“You are?” Gurley asked. “He’s still my little brother.”

Spruce said he “taught Todd how to catch back in the day,” which Gurley agreed with.

“He did. He actually did. That’s why I became the player I became and a great teammate, being with this guy. Super proud of him.”

This was Spruce’s second touchdown of the game, which cut the Renegades’ lead to just one point.

Spruce finished the game with six catches for 89 yards to go along with those two touchdowns, with his longest reception going for 44 yards. It’s the second straight week he’s shined for L.A.’s XFL team, becoming the first player in league history to record 100 yards receiving in a game.

Here’s his highlight reel from the Wildcats’ 25-18 loss on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Gurley was at the game specifically to watch Spruce and Lance Dunbar, who also played for the Rams in 2017. He was excited to see both guys on the field again, saying they’re “two of my great friends.”

“Gotta get my boy Lance rolling, but he’s probably going to lead the league in touchdowns after Spruce,” Gurley said.

This stint in the XFL could help Spruce land another opportunity in the NFL. In addition to his time with the Rams, Spruce was also on the Bears’ practice squad in 2017 and was signed and waived by the Chiefs and Chargers before the 2018 season.

Wildcats’ Nelson Spruce catches 2 TD passes after catching praise from Todd Gurley

Nelson Spruce had two TD catches in front of his former Rams teammate Todd Gurley.

The Los Angeles Wildcats fell to 0-2, losing to the Dallas Renegades, 25-18, in LA’s home opener Sunday.

Spruce has some LA history. After going undrafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, Spruce signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Ram.  The rookie made a big impression in his first preseason game, catching six passes for 51 yards and a touchdown to help the Rams defeat the Dallas Cowboys 28-24 in the team’s first game back in Los Angeles after relocating from St. Louis. However, Spruce suffered a knee injury on the game-winning play and was out for the remainder of the preseason. 

Spruce had a fan at the game against Dallas: LA Rams RB Todd Gurley.

He signed with the Bears, Chiefs and Chargers but did not stick in the NFL. Spruce then signed with the San Diego Fleet of the AAF. He finished fifth in the defunct league with 426 receiving yards and second in receptions with 38.

In two XFL games, Spruce has 17 catches for 192 yards.

Ex-Rams WR hopefuls have big impact on first day of XFL season

Austin Proehl and Nelson Spruce had huge performances in their XFL debuts.

The Los Angeles Rams are in full-on offseason mode right now, preparing for the upcoming draft, free agency and eventually, spring workouts. Although they weren’t in action on Saturday, a few ex-Rams hopefuls were.

The XFL kicked off its 2020 season this weekend and in the first two games, a pair of wide receivers with ties to the Rams were having a big impact. Austin Proehl of the Seattle Dragons and Nelson Spruce, who’s back in L.A. with the Wildcats, both had impressive performances in their XFL debuts.

In the Dragons-Defenders game, Proehl scored the first touchdown of the XFL season, catching a pass from Brandon Silvers to put Seattle up 6-3.

If you recognize the name Proehl, it’s because Austin is the son of Ricky Proehl, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the 1999 NFC Championship Game to send the Rams to the Super Bowl.

After his touchdown catch, Austin Proehl said the play was one his dad ran with the Rams during his time in St. Louis.

“We practiced it. Shout out to my pops. He’s been running it since the Greatest Show on Turf back in the day,” Proehl said on the sideline. “We just wanted to put it in. It’s a great red-zone play and we put it in and we executed it as a team.”

Proehl finished the game with a team-high five receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns, leading all receivers in yardage. Seattle lost 31-19, however.

Proehl was a member of the Rams practice squad in 2018 and was on their offseason roster in 2019, but was cut in August before the season began.

As for the other former Rams wideout, Spruce’s numbers were the best of the day. He caught 11 passes for 103 yards, being targeted 15 times by Chad Kanoff. The rest of the Wildcats had 11 catches for 111 yards combined, so Spruce was Kanoff’s go-to target.

Spruce is the league’s first 100-yard receiver, leaving his mark in his first game back in Los Angeles.

This one-handed grab over the middle made the highlight reel, too, coming after a deflection.

Spruce signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and was a preseason favorite among fans that year. He was cut in 2017, however, and bounced around with three other NFL teams afterwards.

The Wildcats fell to the Roughnecks 37-17 on Saturday, the second game of the day. XFL action continues on Sunday with the Vipers-Guardians game, followed by the Battlehawks and Renegades.