Saints RB Bush is overcoming his youth while career continues

When putting on the New Orleans Saints jersey in 2006 as the second pick of first round, Reggie Bush was just 21 years old. But just in his very first season, he helped lead the Saints to the NFC title game, and three years to now, he is still playing important role in leading the Saints to the Super Bowl.


Although he failed to be even the Saints’ second-leading rusher in 2009 and has been bothered by left knee injuries for parts of the last three seasons, Bush remains capable of brilliance: he exploded for 217 all-purpose yards in the Saints’ divisional-round win vs. the Cardinals, bursting away for an 83-yard punt return for a score and breaking tackles and sprinting away from the Arizona defense on his way to a 46-yard TD run.

When Bush won the Heisman Trophy as a junior at USC in 2005, Saints head coach Sean Payton predicted that youth was a hurdle he had to overcome early in his career. And now Bush is to turn 25 by March, Payton said “Reggie’s developed his overall understanding of what we are doing.”

Saints RB Bush missed another practice with knee injury

The New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush may need more than expected time to take care of his injured left knee. Missing the second straight practice on Thursday, Bush remains an uncertain part of the team that will play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday.


Bush gained 98 yards and scored two touchdowns on six rushes and a pair of receptions while playing against the St. Louis Rams last Sunday, making it one of his best games of the season. But the knee he had surgery on last December to repair cartilage seemed in need of more care, and he began to have some swelling in the knee after last Sunday’s game.

According to Saints Coach Sean Payton, Bush is getting some rest for the knee and team will be cautious to avoid doing anything that may worsen the injury, although they all hope that Bush could wear back his Saints jersey and return to practice Friday.

Saints RB Bush is likely to be back next month

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush will hopefully come back earlier than scheduled. He finished his knee surgery in December and will be fully recovered by the start of training camp next month.

Bush participated in three of the five practices during the Saints' weekend minicamp, not being affected by any injury.


"I'm not trying to go out there and rip it up," Bush said. "But I am trying to get the feel back to cutting and all that stuff."

"I think he's found his niche," Saints coach Sean Payton said of Bush. "He's been really explosive for us as a returner and as a runner and a receiver; he's been a big part to us running the football. Prior to his injury last year, he was having a great year. Certainly, I think we have a good role for him, and he feels very comfortable with what we're doing."

Good news to Saints fans. We can expect that Bush will bring more cheers to the team this year.