Bush Says He Plans To Be Back For Lions In 2015, Has A Lot Left To Give
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Two years remain on the contract of Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush, who suffered an ankle injury this season that limited him to 297 rushing yards. Some wonder whether the Lions should simply go in another direction rather than sticking with Bush, who turns 30 in March.
Bush expects to be back for the Lions next year, and he attributes his lack of production this season - he ran for 1,006 yards in 2013 - solely to injuries.
"I think I have a lot to give, a lot left to give this game," Bush said Monday. "My body still feels pretty good, obviously, with the [exception] of the injuries that I went through. My body feels good. I don't feel worn down. I don't feel beat up. As a running back, nine years in this league can make you feel that way, but for me, I still feel pretty good, I still feel pretty young, so I'm planning on playing for a while.
"I haven't been injured like this in a while where I miss the good majority of the season," Bush continued. "That's tough to not be out there and to just - coming back and getting re-injured, coming back and getting re-injured, that was pretty tough to go through mentally. Like I said, I don't plan to get injured, but hopefully next season I'll be able to play injury-free."
Bush rushed for less than one-third of what he did in 2013 and averaged 3.9 yards per carry. The team's run game ranked 28th in the league.
With Bush hampered by injury, the Lions relied on Joique Bell. Even in the 11 games Bush was available, he was not used extensively. Bell ended the year with nearly three times as many carries as Bush, and in December offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi conceded that he would consider Bell the number one at the position.
"I got injured, so it's hard to say what my role really was when I was injured for most of the season," Bush said. "I don't plan to get injured. Obviously it's part of the game, and I plan to come back stronger like I do every year.
"I still have two years on my contract," Bush added, "so until somebody tells me otherwise, I'm planning on being back here."
Bush undoubtedly knows many outside the organization have their doubts about him, but he says there is confidence in his abilities inside the organization.
"The guys on this team," Bush said, "the coaches who see me every day, know what I'm capable of, what I can do."
