Tag Archives: bruce armstrong

NFL

Armstrong, Bruce (3)

Gameday 1992, #329
Pro Set 1989, #244
Skybox 1992, #174
Fleer 1990, #317

CARDS: Skybox 1992, Gameday 1992, Proset 1989, Fleer 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 1/5 RECEIVED: 1/18 (13 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

After I got Bruce a few years ago, I remember opening up a box searching for another player and saying, “uggggghhhh…”, After I realized that I had a beautiful Skybox card of him that I wanted to have him sign. I set it aside and waited patiently hoping he’d still be a good signer when the time would come around again.

As the pandemic set in, I started really developing and formalizing a lot of set needs. I used to like to just pick and choose action shots and pretty cards to send to players, but now I’ve become more directed, as all four of these sets became set needs after COVID came and supposedly went.

NFL

Armstrong, Bruce (2)

pset92 armstrong pset91 armstrong PCards: ProSet 1991, ProSet 1992
Acquired: TTM 2014, C/o Home
Sent: 11/17   Received: 11/24    (7  days)
See Also: Bruce Armstrong

The venerable Bruce Armstrong really nailed down the right/ left tackle positions for New England throughout the late 80s and into the 1990s, so much so that he was nominated for the NFL HoF in 2011, and the Patriot organization retired his number. Armstrong over his storied career played in a franchise high 212 games. Amazingly enough he started as a tight end at Louisville, before switching over to tackle as a Senior- where he allowed zero sacks. Armstrong had it all over his career with the Patriots, combining speed, power, and durability, making him a formidable pass and run blocker.

Merv Corning’s work on the Pro Set Superbowl cards were  not enough, so the company had him come back to create the All Pro subset in 1991. He also chipped in some spot work on ProLine as well. While I was never a fan of ProSet 1992’s break in style between the two series that year, they still had some pretty good photos littering the set and this card with the red pants is a really nice throwback issue the Patriots briefly did.  A solid signer, the venerable Armstrong boasts a 90% response rate (250+ attempts) through 2015.

 

NFL

Armstrong, Bruce


Card: ProSet 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, Patriots Blitz

Bruce Armstrong is a dominant offensive lineman who still has not received his due for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As the Patriots #1 pick in 1987, Bruce anchored the tackle position for the Patsies for 14 seasons earning 6 Pro Bowl nominations and starting 212 games. He is the Hew England Patriots all-time leader in games started.

Highly durable but considered (6-4, 295) undersized to play tackle, Armstrong made up for it with his speed, balance, and hands. He played right tackle for the first 44 games of his career before moving over to left tackle for the remainder of his time in New England.  A career threatening injury ended his 1992 season prematurely, but Bruce surprised even the doctors when he came back from injury the next season.  He is one of three players in the history of the league to play in three decades for the same team, playing his entire 14 season career for the Patriots. Since retirement, Armstrong has been inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, and has opened a salon with his wife.