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Where Are They Now? Bruce Reimers

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October 14, 2009

Check here to see how this former Humboldt Wildcat landed in the N.F.L.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Bruce Reimers

Humboldt High School: 1979

Current Humboldt assistant football coach Bruce Reimers was recruited by Texas Tech, Utah, Iowa, Iowa State Oklahoma and a host of other Big Eight schools while playing at Humboldt in the late-70’s. But his decision to spend his four year college career at Iowa State, was made easy by the love he has always had for his home state.

“I stayed here to play for the same reason I came back to Iowa,” Reimers said. “I’ve been around the country with football, and Iowa’s home. I know my neighbors here, it’s just home.”

Jim Williams was the offensive line coach for the Cyclones at the time Reimers was recruited, and he said Williams was the one who sold him on Iowa State.

Reimers was an All-State linebacker at Humboldt, and also played offensive line for the Wildcats. Williams though, recruited him as a linebacker and defensive end. An injury and eventual surgery his freshman season prompted the Cyclones coaching staff to move Reimers to offensive line where, coincidentally, he would play for Williams, the man who originally recruited him.

“In high school we didn’t have many kids come out, so I was blessed to be able to play linebacker and offensive line,” Reimers said. “So the move to offensive line in college wasn’t much of a problem.”

Amazingly and fortunately for Reimers he grew three inches in college, launching from 6 feet 4 inches to 6 feet 7 inches.

“I guess I just never stopped growing, and my frame was big enough to hold the 275 pounds I needed to be able to play offensive line. It was a pretty easy transition,” Reimers said.

Those three inches proved to be a very valuable few inches for Reimers. At 6-feet-7 he was ideal size if he wanted to continue his career in the N.F.L. after his moderate success with the Cyclones.

Reimers had almost given up on his dream of being drafted to the N.F.L. when his phone finally rang, and it was a team not too far from home.

“I knew my chances were slim coming from Iowa State and having three-to-four knee surgeries in college,” Reimers said. “That night of the draft, I had pretty much given up on the idea of being drafted, and than the phone rang and it was the Cincinnati Bengals.”

He ended up having a successful training camp and was signed on to play with the Bengals. He played his first season in the N.F.L. for a whopping $60,000. That's pretty miniscule when you consider that today the average N.F.L. offensive lineman makes almost $1.3 million per year, that according to sportsillustrated.com.

During an eight year stretch with the Bengals, in which Reimers played regularly, he shared the sidelines with many great talents. For starters, he played right next to arguably the greatest offensive lineman of all time, Anthony Munoz. He also played with current Sunday Night Football commentator Chris Collinsworth and legendary quarterback Boomer Esiason. All of which Reimers played with in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest Super Bowls of all-time, Super Bowl 23.

The Benglas lost that game due in large part to a late fourth quarter scoring drive by San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Joe Montana.

“If you’ve ever watched any football than you know better than I do not to give Joe Montana too many chances,” Reimers said. “We lost 20-16 after John Taylor made the now legendary catch with less than a minute remaining in the game. But you know it was a great experience, I got to be in the spotlight, it was the game of the year, and it was great. It hurt like heck for a couple days but the sun came up the next morning and I lived through it.”

In 1991 Reiners was traded from Cincinnati to Tampa to spend his final two seasons with the Buccaneers where it warm warmer but little team-success was achieved.

He and everyone else knew what his next move would be.

“When I was done playing football, everyone knew I would be coming home,” Reimers said. “So my family and I packed up and came to Iowa, it’s always been home and will always be home.”

Reimers has been home now since 1992, and currently owns his own trucking business hauling grain. He has also been a volunteer assistant coach with the Humboldt Wildcats for a good chunk of that time. Reimers thoroughly enjoys being on the teaching side of the game.

“It’s the love of the game and the love of being around that age of kids,” Reimers said. “I never really thought that I’d like the coaching part you never know.” Reimers said. “One minute you want to pull your hair out and the next minute you want to hug them like they’re yours. I’ve had more fun than I could have ever have dreamt.”

TJ Rushing, High School Playbook

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