The Jets inside linebackers were one of the few bright spots last season, but Frank Bush needs them to take it to the next level.
Bush was brought over from Adam Gase’s old staff in Miami. He got the opportunity to coach one of the league’s best inside linebackers in Kiko Alonso, who has racked up over 100 total tackles in the last two seasons under Bush.
Let’s take a look at three things to know about the newest coach who will work with Avery Williamson and Darron Lee.
NFL coach for over 20 years
Bush started coaching from a young age in the 1990s and has been in the NFL ever since.
He started out as the linebackers coach with the Houston Oilers in 1993, but then left for the same position with the Broncos in 1995. In 2000, Denver re-assigned Bush to be the secondary and special teams coach. However, he only did that for a few seasons before returning as a linebackers coach with the Cardinals.
While still remaining as the linebackers coach in Arizona, the Cardinals also promoted him to assistant head coach. Bush then went back to Houston as a senior defensive assistant in 2007. By 2009, he was the defensive coordinator of the Texans. However, that only lasted two short seasons and Bush went back to being a linebackers coach with Tennessee in 2011. Finally, in 2013, he joined the Rams as a linebackers coach before joining Gase in Miami in 2017.
Scary injury ended his playing career
Bush got into coaching at a young age because his playing days were cut short due to a freak injury.
He was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers in the fifth round of the 1985 NFL draft. In his rookie year, Bush started in 11 of the Texans’ 16 games and recorded four sacks and three fumble recoveries. But in his next season, after three games, Bush got an injury checked out and he learned that he had spinal stenosis.
The injury was not something he suffered while playing, but doctors thought it would be best if he retired, so he did.
Two-time Super Bowl champion
Bush was part of the Bronco’s powerhouse in the 90s.
Bush served under Mike Shanahan, who was the head coach at the time. The Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. They beat the Packers and Falcons in those Super Bowls, respectively.
So, Bush has some jewelry to his name and has plenty of playoff experience. The Jets could certainly use some of that.
