When you think about the St Louis Rams starting lineup, your brain probably goes straight to that 1999 "Greatest Show on Turf" magic. We’ve all seen the highlights. Kurt Warner hucking a spiraling beauty downfield while Isaac Bruce burns a defensive back who never had a chance. It’s iconic. But honestly, there is a lot more to the story of these rosters than just a few Hall of Famers in gold pants.
The Rams spent 21 seasons in St. Louis. That’s a long time. People forget the lean years before the Super Bowl and the weird, gritty seasons right before they packed up for Los Angeles. You’ve got different eras of talent, from the high-flying circus of the early 2000s to the defensive-heavy squads led by Chris Long and a young Aaron Donald.
Let's break down what actually made these lineups tick and why some names deserve way more credit than they get.
The 1999 St Louis Rams Starting Lineup: Lightning in a Bottle
Look, 1999 was a freak accident in the best way possible. Trent Green was supposed to be the guy. He goes down in the preseason, and in steps an undrafted grocery bagger named Kurt Warner. The rest is literally movie material.
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But if you look at the St Louis Rams starting lineup for that Super Bowl XXXIV run, it wasn't just Warner. The protection was elite. You had Orlando Pace at left tackle, basically a human brick wall, and Adam Timmerman at right guard. These guys gave Warner a clean pocket that felt like it lasted for hours.
Here is what that offensive starting group looked like for the bulk of that season:
- QB: Kurt Warner
- RB: Marshall Faulk (The ultimate dual-threat)
- WR: Isaac Bruce
- WR: Torry Holt (Just a rookie then!)
- TE: Roland Williams or Ernie Conwell
- LT: Orlando Pace
- LG: Tom Nutten
- C: Mike Gruttadauria
- RG: Adam Timmerman
- RT: Fred Miller
People always talk about the offense, but the defense was actually terrifying. Kevin Carter led the league with 17.5 sacks. Imagine having to block him and D'Marco Farr on the same play. It was a nightmare.
Then you had London Fletcher. He was an undrafted linebacker who just didn't miss tackles. Mike Jones was the other linebacker—the guy who made "The Tackle" on the final play of the Super Bowl. If Mike Jones isn't in that starting lineup, the Rams might not have a ring from the St. Louis era. Simple as that.
Why the 2001 Lineup Was Actually Better (On Paper)
Most fans think 1999 was the peak, but many experts will tell you the 2001 roster was more talented. They went 14-2. They were scoring points like they were playing a video game on easy mode.
By this time, Torry Holt wasn't just a promising rookie anymore; he was a superstar. Marshall Faulk was in the middle of a stretch where he was essentially the best player in the NFL.
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The defense got a massive upgrade, too. They added Aeneas Williams at cornerback. He was a ball-hawk and a total veteran leader. The starting defensive line featured Grant Wistrom and Leonard Little, two guys who lived in the opponent's backfield.
2001 Defensive Starters often included:
- DE: Leonard Little / Grant Wistrom
- DT: Jeff Zgonina / Brian Young
- LB: London Fletcher, Tommy Polley, Mark Fields
- CB: Aeneas Williams, Dexter McCleon
- S: Adam Archuleta (The hard-hitting rookie), Kim Herring
They ran into a young Tom Brady and a very physical Patriots scheme in the Super Bowl. That’s the game that changed everything. It was the beginning of the end for the Greatest Show on Turf, but that starting lineup was a juggernaut that probably should have won two or three titles.
The Steven Jackson Era: Carrying the Load
After the Warner era faded, the St Louis Rams starting lineup shifted focus. It wasn't about the "Air Raid" anymore. It was about one man: Steven Jackson.
Between 2004 and 2012, Jackson was the heart of the team. He had eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. Think about that for a second. The team around him was often struggling, the offensive line was rotating constantly, and he still produced.
The quarterbacks changed—Marc Bulger took over for Warner and had some Pro Bowl years, then we saw guys like Sam Bradford come in with huge expectations. But the lineup was never as balanced as those early 2000s groups. You’d have standout starters like offensive lineman Richie Incognito or defensive end Chris Long, but the depth just wasn't there.
The Final Chapter: The 2015 Lineup in St. Louis
By 2015, everyone sort of knew the end was coming. The atmosphere was heavy, but the talent on the field was actually starting to get interesting again.
This was the year Todd Gurley took the league by storm as a rookie. He was the focal point of the offense, which was quarterbacked by Nick Foles (and eventually Case Keenum).
But the real story of the 2015 St Louis Rams starting lineup was the defensive front.
- DT: Aaron Donald
- DT: Michael Brockers
- DE: Chris Long
- DE: Robert Quinn
That is a ridiculous amount of talent. Aaron Donald was already becoming the "alien" we know today. Robert Quinn had one of the best get-offs in the league. It was a defense-first team that won games by grinding opponents into the dirt.
On the back end, you had Trumaine Johnson and Janoris "Jackrabbit" Jenkins. They were aggressive, high-risk, high-reward corners. It was a fun team to watch, even if the offensive production was inconsistent. They finished 7-9, a classic Jeff Fisher record, before the franchise moved to LA the following year.
Misconceptions About the Rams Rosters
One thing people get wrong is thinking the Rams were "soft" because they played in a dome and liked to pass. That’s total nonsense.
The offensive lines during the peak years were incredibly physical. Orlando Pace wasn't just a pass protector; he was a road grader in the run game. Adam Timmerman brought a mean streak from Green Bay. They weren't just fast; they were tough.
Another misconception? That the defense was just "along for the ride." In 1999, the Rams defense allowed the fewest rushing yards in the league. You couldn't run on them. They forced teams to pass, which played right into the hands of their pass rushers.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you're looking to study or remember the St Louis Rams starting lineup more deeply, here are a few ways to contextualize those teams:
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- Watch the 1999 NFC Championship Game: Everyone watches the Super Bowl, but the game against Tampa Bay was a defensive slugfest. It shows a completely different side of that starting lineup.
- Look at "Approximate Value" (AV): If you use sites like Pro Football Reference, look at the AV scores for the 2001 team versus the 1999 team. It helps illustrate why that 2001 group is considered statistically superior.
- Trace the Coaching Tree: The starting lineups were heavily influenced by Mike Martz’s "Air Coryell" system. Understanding the roles of the WR3 (like Az-Zahir Hakim or Ricky Proehl) explains why the Rams used "11 personnel" (3 wide receivers) way before it was the league standard.
- Value the Forgotten Linemen: Don't just focus on the skill players. Guys like Andy McCollum (Center) and Tom Nutten (Guard) were the glue that held those record-breaking offenses together.
The St. Louis years provided a blueprint for the modern NFL. High-speed turf, versatile running backs, and dominant pass rushes—it all started there. Whether it was the explosive 90s or the defensive grit of the mid-2010s, those starting lineups left a permanent mark on football history.