The Greatest Show on Turf " The Greatest Show on Turf " was the nickname for the St . Louis Rams ' record - breaking offense during the 1999 , 2000 , and 2001 National Football League seasons . The offense was designed by attack oriented offensive coordinator Mike Martz who advocated an unrelenting aerial attack and potent ground game . The Rams ' display of cogent offensive bandwidth during these three seasons produced a largess of scoring , accrued yardage , three NFL MVP honors , and one Super Bowl title for the 1999 season . The offense was attuned to getting all five receivers out into patterns that stretched the field , setting up defensive backs with route technique , and the quarterback delivering to a spot on time where the receiver could make the catch and turn upfield . Frequent pre - snap motion and shifting were staples of the system , often including shifts to or from empty backfield formations or bunch formations . Pass protection was critical to its success . At least two of the five receivers would run a deep in , skinny post , comeback , speed out , or shallow cross pattern , and running backs would often run quick rail routes out of the backfield . Screens , draws , and play action passes were often used to slow the opponent ' s pass rush . Mike Martz credits the offensive system as being originally catalyzed by Sid Gillman and then refined at San Diego State by Don Coryell , who later transmitted his system to the NFL . Martz learned the Coryell 3 - digit system from offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese when both coached for the Rams under Chuck Knox from 1994 - 96 . Using this offense , the Rams set a new NFL record for total offensive yards in 2000 , with an astonishing 7 , 335 yards ( since broken by the New Orleans Saints with 7 , 474 ) . Of those , 5 , 492 were passing yards , also a new NFL team record . Background . The term " Greatest Show on Turf " was not used to describe the Rams offense until several weeks into the 2000 season ; initially the nickname for the Rams offense had been " The Warner Brothers , " a play on the movie studio and a reference to new quarterback Kurt Warner , who ' d assumed leadership from center after slated starter Trent Green was injured against San Diego in the preseason , and his receivers . The first appearance of the term came when ESPN ' s Chris Berman , preparing to cover highlights of a 57 - 31 win over the San Diego Chargers that year , said to television audiences , " Forget Ringling Brothers ; the Rams are the Greatest Show on Earth . " Over the following weeks , " Earth " was replaced with " Turf " to signify the Rams ' artificial playing surface and how well it magnified and enhanced the Rams ' already speedy offense . The term was retroactively applied to the 1999 team , as the offensive philosophy and key players were the same . The Greatest Show on Turf was anchored by running back Marshall Faulk , NFL Offensive Player of the Year for three consecutive years from 1999 through 2001 , quarterback Kurt Warner , 2 - time NFL MVP , the receiving duo of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt , as well as Az - Zahir Hakim and veteran Ricky Proehl . Together they formed the nucleus of the only team in NFL history to score 500 + points in 3 consecutive seasons . No other team has achieved . Quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk finished first and second in MVP voting each of the three years , also an achievement unmatched by any offense in NFL history . The Rams went 13 - 3 , 10 - 6 , and 14 - 2 in those three seasons , respectively , and reached the playoffs every year . In 1999 , the team reached Super Bowl XXXIV and defeated the Tennessee Titans to claim the first franchise championship in almost half a century . The Rams lost in the first round of the 2000 playoffs to the New Orleans Saints , but returned the next year to reach Super Bowl XXXVI , where they ultimately fell to the New England Patriots . Though much less heralded , the St . Louis defense during those years modeled a praiseworthy unit and often outperformed opposing offenses that was essential to overall team performance . In 2000 , when the Rams barely managed to reach the playoffs , the defense was ranked among the NFL ' s worst . In 1999 and 2001 , when the Rams reached the Super Bowl , their defense statistically ranked among the NFL ' s best - and ironically enough , it was a last - second defensive stop known as " The Tackle " by Rams linebacker Mike Jones that sealed the Rams ' memorable championship in Super Bowl XXXIV . Players . Kurt Warner . Quarterback Kurt Warner was cut in training camp by the Green Bay Packers in 1994 , then had a workout with the Chicago Bears fall through due to a scorpion sting he got on his honeymoon . After being cut by the Packers , Warner stocked shelves at a Hy - Vee supermarket in Cedar Falls , Iowa . He was a starter with the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and then continued to the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe before ultimately signing with the Rams as a backup to Tony Banks . After Green was injured in the 1999 pre - season and would miss the regular season , many speculated that the season was over for St . Louis . However , the Rams — and Warner in particular — lit up defenses throughout the league . Warner threw 41 touchdown passes , setting a new franchise mark , and his 109 . 2 quarterback rating was the third highest ( for a minimum of 200 attempts ) in a season next to Joe Montana ( 112 . 4 ) and Steve Young ( 112 . 8 ) . ( The record now is owned solely by Aaron Rodgers after his record - breaking 2011 season . ) The Rams finished 13 - 3 , a franchise best record for the 16 game schedule ( a mark which would be later broken by the 2001 Rams , when they finished 14 - 2 ) . Offensive coordinator Mike Martz ' s innovative variation on the Coryell offensive system suited Warner well ; he threw only 13 interceptions during the regular season . For his innovation , Martz would be regarded as one of the most ingenious coordinators of his time . The Rams first demolished the Minnesota Vikings in a shoot - out in the , where Warner burned the Minnesota secondary for 391 yards and five touchdowns en route to victory . In the , the Rams faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , coached by Tony Dungy . Facing one of the league ' s best defenses , Warner had one of the worst post - season performances of his career , throwing three interceptions to the heavily loaded Buccaneers secondary which featured John Lynch , Donnie Abraham , and Ronde Barber . However , the Rams proved they were more than just a good offensive team , as they prevented Tampa Bay from scoring any touchdowns , allowed only two field goals , and intercepted Shaun King twice . Trailing 6 - 5 late in the 4th quarter , Warner engineered the game - winning drive culminating in the go - ahead touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl to send the Rams to the Super Bowl with an 11 - 6 victory . Warner went on to throw for a Super Bowl record 414 yards , with two touchdown passes , including a dramatic 72 - yard game winner to Isaac Bruce , against the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV , winning Super Bowl MVP honors . He continued to play for the Rams through 2003 . Marshall Faulk . Faulk was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to St . Louis in 1999 . Faulk had been an elite player in Indianapolis , but in St . Louis he put up some of the best all - purpose numbers in the history of the NFL . Indianapolis finished 13 - 3 but were knocked off in the first round , while the Rams eventually went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV . It was a storybook season . Faulk ' s patience and diligence in learning the Rams offense paid off when he totaled 2 , 429 yards from scrimmage , eclipsing Barry Sanders ' 2 , 358 yards set in 1997 . With 1 , 381 yards rushing ( a superb 5 . 5 yards - per - carry average ) and 1 , 048 receiving yards , Faulk joined Roger Craig as the only men to total 1 , 000 + yards in each category in a season . For all this effort and success , he was named Offensive Player of the Year and starter for the NFC squad in the 2000 Pro Bowl . Faulk was the MVP in 2000 , and again the Offensive Player of the Year . He had 1 , 359 yards rushing in 14 games and set a new NFL record with 26 total TDs , a record that would soon be broken by Priest Holmes , then by Shaun Alexander , and later LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 ( although it should be noted Faulk missed 2 games in 2000 ) . Faulk had 18 scores on the ground , setting a new franchise record , and 8 through the air . He also averaged 5 + yards per carry again , this time with 5 . 4 . From 1999 to 2001 Marshall Faulk had what may have been the best consecutive seasons in league history . In that span , he scored 59 total TD ' s , rang up 6 , 765 total yards of offense ( 4 , 122 rushing and 2 , 643 receiving ) and won the Most Valuable Player award and three Offensive Player of the Year awards . He was also named All - NFC , ALL - NFL , and selected for the Pro Bowl in each of those years . Isaac Bruce . [ Bruce was selected in the 2nd round ( 33rd overall pick ) of the NFL Draft in 1994 , by the Los Angeles Rams . One of the Rams most enduring players , Isaac Bruce was originally drafted as a Los Angeles Ram and was with the team since their years of futility in the mid 90s to the years of the Greatest Show on Turf . Over his career , he has 15 , 208 yards receiving , 1024 receptions , 8 1 , 000 + Seasons , 40 100 + yardage games and 84 receiving touchdowns , all of which are team records he holds . He is arguably one of the best pure route runners to play wide receiver in the NFL . Bruce ' s most notable catch came in Super Bowl XXXIV . With under 2 : 00 minutes left in the game , he caught a 73 - yard pass from QB Kurt Warner , which ultimately would clinch the Rams ' only Super Bowl win . In 1995 , he had 1 , 781 receiving yards , second only to Jerry Rice ( 1 , 848 ) and was 5th ever for receptions ( 119 ) . During the 1996 season , he led the league in yards ( 1 , 338 ) . In 1999 , Bruce totaled 1 , 165 yards receiving on only 77 receptions ( 15 . 2 yards per reception ) and led the Rams with 12 touchdowns . Torry Holt . A rookie during the Rams ' 1999 Super Bowl championship season , Torry Holt became one of the premier wide receivers in the league . In 7 years , he had 5 Pro Bowl invitations . Holt also averaged the most receiving yards per season , and he had 2 1 , 600 yard seasons , giving him a feat matched only by Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison . Holt was criticized earlier in his career because of his lack of touchdowns , and people did not see him as a major red zone option , especially in a goal line situation . However , he silenced all critics by compiling 31 touchdowns in his last 3 seasons . Holt led the league in receptions and yards in 2003 , that year the Rams went 12 - 4 ( missing out on homefield advantage due to an upset loss to the Detroit Lions ) , and lost in a double overtime against the eventual NFC Champions , the Carolina Panthers . Az - Zahir Hakim . Hakim was another player instrumental to the success of The Greatest Show on Turf . He was with the Rams for four seasons ( 1998 – 2001 ) before being signed as a free agent to the Detroit Lions . During the 1999 season , he caught 36 passes for 677 yards , which would bring in 8 touchdowns for the Rams . For his four season run with the Rams he accumulated a total of 2 , 032 yards with 16 touchdown receptions . Additionally , Hakim served as the team ' s punt returner and was among the league leaders in 1999 and 2000 . For the 2006 season , he was with the San Diego Chargers . Ricky Proehl . Proehl ( WR ) had been in the NFL for 17 seasons and spent 5 of them with the St . Louis Rams between 1998 - 2002 . During this time he was able to accumulate a total of 207 receptions and 2 , 590 receiving yards . At the 2000 NFC Championship , he caught the winning touchdown that allowed the Rams to beat Tampa Bay 11 - 6 . Again , he caught a touchdown pass late in the game during Super Bowl XXXVI which at the time tied the game at 17 - 17 , but the Patriots kicked a last - second field goal to win 20 - 17 . He would go on to be a valuable cog in the Carolina Panthers offense during their Super Bowl year , and he also had a stint with the Colts . Ernie Conwell . Was the St . louis rams tight end and didnt play a huge role in their explosive offense . But , however he did manage to become a critical third down receiver , this can be concluded due to the highly advanced vertical offense that Mike Martz and Dick Vermeil played ( specifically in 1999 ) . He was a crucial component for short quick passes that helped to keep the greatest offense of all time alive and a prime super contending team . Afterwards . The 2002 NFL season is seen retrospectively by many Rams fans as the first season not being the " Greatest Show on Turf , " though the team was frequently referred to as such for several seasons after 2001 . The team had a record of 7 - 9 in 2002 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons ; many referred to this as a " Super Bowl Hangover " for the Rams because they lost a Super Bowl they were favored so heavily to win . Expectations were for the Rams to bounce back in 2003 , so the name stuck even though the Rams were not the same team and did not enjoy the same level of success . Kurt Warner struggled with the team after Super Bowl XXXVI , and with the emergence of Marc Bulger , was made expendable and released following the 2003 season ; he would later return to form and lead the Arizona Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII , where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers . Warner retired following the 2009 season . Bruce , the team ' s all - time leading receiver and the team ' s last remaining player that was with the team in Los Angeles , was released by the Rams following the 2007 season after 14 years with the team and spent the next 2 years with the archrival San Francisco 49ers before returning to retire as a Ram in 2010 . Marshall Faulk retired in 2007 after missing the 2006 season due to injuries , while Ricky Proehl retired the same offseason after stints in Carolina and Indianapolis . Az - Zahir Hakim retired as a free agent . Torry Holt was released in 2009 and signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars . Soon after he was released by the Jaguars . On April 20 , 2010 , he signed a one - year deal with the New England Patriots , but was placed on injured reserve in August and released shortly after that , and has retired . From the entire 1999 Super Bowl team , only London Fletcher currently stills plays in the NFL .