Career
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers 27th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington. Bruener played nine seasons with the Steelers followed by five with the Houston Texans.
He retired following the 2008 season.
He formerly served on the NFL Players Association Executive Committee. He now serves as a scout for the Steelers.
He played at the University of Washington from 1991-1994 and proved himself as a reliable receiver and willing blocker in the running game. 1991: 5 catches for 57 yards.
1992: 21 catches for 210 yards.
1993: 30 catches for 414 yards with 3 Territorial Decoration. 1994: 34 catches for 331 yards with 1 Territorial Decoration.
He was drafted 27th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played with the Steelers for nine seasons before signing with the Houston Texans. Bruener was primarily a blocking tight end rather than a pass-catcher but finished his NFL career with 133 catches.