Isaac Bruce turns 36 on Monday. But do you wish him a happy birthday?

Bruce is approaching the age where receivers not named Jerry Rice tend to run a fade pattern — by fading right out of the NFL.

Only 10 receivers other than Rice have posted a 100-yard game at age 36 or older, according to Doug Drinen of pro-football-reference.com.

Only five receivers other than Rice — Jimmy Smith, Joey Galloway, Charlie Joiner (twice), Tim Brown and Cris Carter — have reached at least 800 yards in a season at 36 or older.

You've heard of the red zone? Bruce is entering the gray zone.

Still, the 49ers will be counting on the birthday boy when they take the field for "Monday Night Football" next week. Bruce enters play against the Arizona Cardinals leading 49ers receivers in yards (399) and touchdowns (four).

He will serve as a well-worn security blanket for new quarterback Shaun Hill, who will be making his first start of the season. As Hill said Thursday:

"There's not a situation Isaac hasn't been through, and there's no defense he hasn't seen. Obviously, you can count on him to be at the right place at the right time."

Hill's other options aren't so reliable. Arnaz Battle was declared out for the game because of a sprained right foot. Bryant Johnson has a nagging hamstring injury and hasn't topped 30 receiving yards since Week 2.

Rookie Josh Morgan has only two games with multiple catches. Jason Hill, who steps into Battle's role, has four career catches. Tight end Vernon Davis is in the highlights only because of his spectacularly benching.

Then there is Old Man Bruce, whose 88 career touchdowns put him 65 ahead of the rest of the 49ers receivers combined. He was drafted in 1994, in the same class that produced Trent Dilfer, Bryant Young and Larry Allen — all of whom retired after last season.

Bruce, meanwhile, keeps on ticking. He ranks seventh in the NFL with 17.3 yards per catch (minimum 20 catches). Every other player on the top 10 list is under age 30.

How is Bruce still doing it?

"By the words of my mouth," he said Thursday. "I speak young. I speak vitality. I speak my youth being renewed like the eagles."

Bruce, as he often does, was evoking the Bible.

Psalm 103:5 reads: "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." The deeply religious player is nicknamed "The Reverend" because he wants to become one when he is done playing.

Bruce is also thriving behind the advice he sought out as a younger man. He asked his elders — and not just athletes — for tips on longevity.

"I talked to people who were more experienced," Bruce said. "I wouldn't call them older."

Bruce is within 427 yards of passing Brown (14,934) for second on the all-time receiving yards list. He is within 35 catches of joining Rice, Carter, Brown and Marvin Harrison as the only NFL players to amass 1,000 catches.

"He still moves around like a young guy," Hill said.

"Looking at how he plays, you wouldn't think he's 36," Battle said.

"He's meticulous when it comes to taking care of himself," receivers coach Jerry Sullivan said.

Only two NFL receivers are older than Bruce: Galloway (by one year) and Harrison (by three months).

On the other hand, Father Time might be getting ready to catch Bruce from behind.

Since a 153-yard outburst against Seattle in Week 2, he hasn't topped 60 yards. Bruce's production has suffered during a sputtering, mistake-prone stretch that cost quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan his job.

Now, with Hill behind center, it is unclear where Bruce fits. The presumption is that Hill's more guarded style will mean fewer deep shots.

"From my experience, being around (offensive coordinator) Mike Martz, he never coaches that way," he said. "In his eyes, everyone is a starter. You wouldn't be here if you couldn't run his offense."

Maybe the 49ers can turn things around on his birthday. But it will hardly be a piece of cake.