Reggie Bush: The Most Overrated Player?

When most people hear the name Reggie Bush they think of greatness.  And, from the common person that might seem as a fair assessment—the publicity would've confused me too if I wasn't an avid follower of the NFL. 

I mean the guy is on everything: commercials, TV shows, magazines, and the list goes on and on.  As soon as Reggie stepped foot in the NFL, people were sure he would be the next greatest running back and almost a sure lock for rookie of the year. 

People thought the Texans were the dumbest team in the NFL for passing on Bush and drafting Mario Williams, but after Williams posted 14 sacks last season people quickly shut their mouths.

The former USC heisman who made players look foolish on the field in college is struggling to fit in and put up impressive numbers.  In his rookie season he rushed for a mediocre 565 yards, averaging 3.6 yards per rush, and ranked No. 42 among running backs. 

It still seemed like analysts were blind to these facts, as I never heard these numbers called out, only praises and applauds, which confused me.  All I heard was, “What an amazing play by Reggie Bush.”  Yet the very next play he would dance around for a loss and still announcers wouldn’t blame Bush.

How do you jump on a players' bandwagon who is not even close to the top? 

Last season the hype was there again—people couldn't wait to see an improved more experienced Reggie Bush. 

With more endorsements then ever, we watched Reggie rush for 581 yards and break the rankings to end up at No. 36.  He did miss the last four games of the season, but with Deuce out he had two more rushing attempts than the previous season.  

To add to his mediocrity in the NFL, his longest run in two seasons is 22 yards, and last season he had seven fumbles with only four touchdowns.  Bush needs to step up and show that he isn’t just a college great, especially if the Saints want to be where they were at two seasons ago.

It is clear that so far Reggie Bush has been incredibly over-hyped and overrated.  I am not a Reggie hater, just stating facts and numbers.  I am not in any way saying that he can't still become one of the NFL's elite backs—I'm saying that the publicity is there without the performance and numbers backing it up. 

However, I would like to commend Reggie for what he has done for the city of New Orleans off the field.  He has been involved in a number of charities and has been a great influence for the younger generations. 

I wish Reggie and the Saints good luck in next season—I also wish Reggie’s on-field performance will be up to par with his performances off the field.