Devin Bush Bio
Devin Marquese Bush Jr. is an American professional football linebacker who has built a reputation as a hard-hitting defender since entering the National Football League (NFL) in 2019. Born on July 18, 1998, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Bush starred at the University of Michigan before being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. After stints with Pittsburgh, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Cleveland Browns, he signed with the Chicago Bears in March 2026, continuing a career defined by speed, tackling, and playmaking ability in all three levels of the defense.
Early Life and Background
Devin Marquese Bush Jr. was born on July 18, 1998, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He is the son of Devin Bush Sr., a former NFL safety who played in the league from 1995 to 2002 and whose career offered his son an early window into professional football. Growing up in the same South Florida community where his father had built connections, the younger Bush absorbed the rhythms of the sport long before he reached the high school level.
Bush attended Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, where he played high school football and emerged as one of the most coveted defensive prospects in the state. His combination of instincts, range, and physicality drew attention from top college programs, and he quickly became a priority recruit nationally. By the time he finished his high school career, Bush had positioned himself as a future cornerstone defender at the next level.
Path to American Football
In December 2015, Bush rejected a scholarship offer from Florida State, where his father had played, and committed to the University of Michigan. A few months later, in February 2016, Michigan hired Devin Bush Sr. as a defensive analyst for the football coaching staff, further linking the family’s football journey to Ann Arbor.
Bush enrolled at Michigan in the fall of 2016 and immediately appeared in all 13 games as a freshman for the 2016 Wolverines. He quickly earned a reputation as the hardest-hitting player on the roster. In the spring of 2017, he impressed observers during the spring game, and by the start of the 2017 season, he had won the starting job at inside linebacker. The groundwork laid during his first two years on campus set the stage for him to become one of the most decorated linebackers in college football.
Devin Bush Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Bush opened the 2017 season with a team-high seven tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks, against Florida in the opener. Two weeks later, he set a career high with 12 tackles against Air Force, and through the first three games of the season, he led the Big Ten Conference in sacks and tackles for loss. A dominant performance against Purdue drew praise from local media, who called him a one-man wrecking crew. He finished 2017 as a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Named a team captain before the 2018 season, Bush added an Associated Press preseason first-team All-American nod to his résumé. He led the Wolverines with 80 tackles and ranked second on the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Following the season, he earned the Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, the Butkus–Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year, and consensus All-American honors. In December 2018, he announced that he would forgo his senior season and enter the 2019 NFL draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2019–2022)
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Bush with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, trading multiple selections to the Denver Broncos to move up for him. His father had also been a first-round selection in 1995, making them one of the rare first-round father-and-son pairs in league history. On May 12, 2019, Bush signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $18.87 million contract with a signing bonus of $11.74 million.
As a rookie, Bush started immediately and finished with more than 100 tackles, including a Week 6 performance against the Los Angeles Chargers in which he returned a fumble for a touchdown and added an interception, becoming the first rookie since Eddie Jackson in 2017 to accomplish that feat in a single game. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the effort and was later named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He started the first five games of 2020 before suffering a torn ACL against the Cleveland Browns, an injury that cut short his second season.
Bush returned to start 14 games in 2021, registering two sacks, 70 tackles, and a forced fumble, and then played 17 games with 14 starts in 2022. The Steelers declined his fifth-year option on May 2, 2022, making him a free agent after the season.
Seattle Seahawks Era (2023)
On March 16, 2023, Bush signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He appeared in 13 games with three starts, serving primarily as a contributor on special teams and as a backup linebacker on defense. The Seattle stop was a transitional year that helped him reset his career as he prepared for the next chapter.
Cleveland Browns Era (2024–2025)
Bush signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns on March 15, 2024, and quickly carved out a role. In 16 appearances with 10 starts, he recorded 76 combined tackles, one sack, and three pass deflections. On March 11, 2025, he re-signed with Cleveland on a one-year, $3.25 million contract, signaling the organization’s confidence in his production and leadership.
The 2025 season became a career-defining campaign. In Week 18, Bush recorded 14 tackles and returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown in a 20–18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week. He started all 17 games, finishing second on the team with a career-high 125 tackles, along with two sacks, two forced fumbles, eight passes defensed, and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. His playmaking, range, and veteran presence anchored a young Cleveland defense.
Chicago Bears Era (2026–Present)
On March 11, 2026, Bush signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Chicago Bears, joining a defense in the midst of a youth-driven resurgence. His arrival brought a proven tackler and a respected leader into a linebacker room that valued his experience and communication skills.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bush’s most memorable early milestone came in his 2019 rookie game against the Chargers, when he became the first rookie since Eddie Jackson in 2017 to return a fumble for a touchdown and record an interception in the same game. He added another signature moment in 2025, when his 97-yard interception return against Cincinnati clinched a late-season victory and earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Drafted in the first round alongside his father, Devin Bush Sr., Bush has continued a family legacy at the highest level of professional football.
Devin Bush Career Statistics
Through the 2025 NFL season, Bush has accumulated 524 total tackles, 7 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, 24 pass deflections, 5 interceptions, and 2 defensive touchdowns. He has appeared in games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns, and Chicago Bears, evolving from a rookie starter into a veteran defensive leader.
Devin Bush Family
Family Background and Football Lineage
Devin Bush Jr. is the son of Devin Bush Sr., who played safety in the NFL from 1995 to 2002 after a standout career at Florida State. The elder Bush later joined the University of Michigan as a defensive analyst, which helped strengthen the family’s ties to the Wolverines’ program. The father-and-son duo share the distinction of each being selected in the first round of their respective NFL drafts.
Personal Life
On May 4, 2025, Bush was arrested in Bell Acres, Pennsylvania, on simple assault and harassment charges. On December 16, he was found not guilty of both charges, and the case was resolved in his favor.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented the most productive year of Bush’s professional career. He started all 17 games for the Cleveland Browns, finishing second on the team with 125 tackles while adding two sacks, two forced fumbles, eight passes defensed, and three interceptions. His consistency against both the run and the pass helped stabilize a Browns defense that relied on his playmaking and communication.
A signature moment came in Week 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals, when his 97-yard interception return produced the game-winning score in a 20–18 victory and earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week. That performance encapsulated his growth as a coverage linebacker, and his dual role as a tackler and ball-hawking defender made him one of the most complete linebackers in the league.
Bush’s career year in 2025 set the stage for his biggest contract to date, a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Bears in March 2026, reflecting the league’s recognition of his resurgence and durability.
