Once upon a time, Devin Bush was supposed to be the answer to the Steelers’ problems at inside linebacker following the injury to Ryan Shazier. But that never manifested, and a torn ACL in his second year set the promising linebacker back in a big way. He never recaptured the magic of his rookie year and the start of his second season, instead having his fifth-year option declined and signing with the Seattle Seahawks.
So, when Bush took the field against the Minnesota Vikings for his Seahawks debut on Thursday night, it could be the start of something new for the former Steelers linebacker. To his credit, Bush took the opportunity given to him by the Seahawks and ran with it in a big way. Bush ended up playing with the first-team defense and racked up 6 tackles and a tackle for loss. His big highlight was a big hit on a kickoff return, showing that he can stand out in different ways.
Devin Bush👀 pic.twitter.com/krsn9LyVe4
— Luna (@luna__mae) August 11, 2023
That hit came on Bush’s first-ever kickoff coverage snap given the Steelers never made him do that. But it was a very successful one for Bush, who will need to play some special teams with Seattle as he evolves as a veteran.
“That was my first ever kickoff in my NFL career,” Bush said. “I’m glad it went that way. It was fun, I like that.”
Bush looked like the best linebacker playing on the team tonight with Jordyn Brooks still recovering from a torn ACL and Bobby Wagner not playing. His quality of play earned him a shoutout from Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll following their win over the Vikings in Seattle.
“Devin Bush made a few nice tackles for us tonight,” Carroll said. “The linebackers really stepped up.”
Bush even went on to make a statement that he believes the Seahawks can be a powerhouse in the NFC West and win a Super Bowl in 2023. Contributions such as those he brought to the table on Thursday could help Seattle be one of those teams that rises up from the crop in the NFC.