Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush had a tremendous rookie season in 2019 as the team’ first-round draft pick registered 109 total tackles, a sack, two interceptions, four fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Solid rookie season and all, Bush still isn’t likely to win the annual Defensive Rookie of the Year Award Saturday night. Bush, who is currently in Miami for the week leading up to Super Bowl LIV, sat down Monday for a short interview on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ and he talked briefly about what he expects his second season in the NFL to look like.
“A big jump,” Bush told Rich Eisen. “Man, we’ve got to go to the playoffs. There’s not too many times you catch the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the playoffs two years in a row, back-to-back. So, we’ve got to get back in the playoffs and we’ve got to contend.”
At least Bush has his history and priorities straight. As good as the Steelers defense was at times during Bush’s rookie season, the unit figures to be even better in 2020 due to the inside linebacker now having a full season under his belt. He’ll likely be wearing the green dot in 2020 and thus calling the defense.
While the Steelers are virtually guaranteed to lose defensive tackle Javon Hargrave during the offseason to free agency, most of the other defensive starters should be back in 2020. Additionally, defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who missed the final 10 games of 2019 due to a torn pectoral muscle, should be back full-strength way before the start of the 2020 regular season. It also sounds like outside linebacker Bud Dupree will be retained for at least the 2020 season as well.
Bush not only talked briefly with Eisen about what he’s looking forward to accomplishing next season, he also talked some about the sudden and tragic Sunday passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Bush also talked about how he was received by the Steelers locker room as a rookie, the open-door policy that head coach Mike Tomlin has, and his thoughts and predictions for Super Bowl LIV. You can watch the full interview below.
