Getty Ex-Bears safety Deon Bush is heading to Kansas City.
Deon Bush is heading to the AFC.
The former Chicago Bears safety and special teams ace is signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, his agents told NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Former Bears’ free-agent safety Deon Bush is signing with the Chiefs on a one-year deal, per his agents @DrewJRosenhaus and @NFLrecord.
The Bears selected Bush in the fourth-round of the 2016 NFL draft out of the University of Miami (FL), and he has spent his first six NFL seasons with the team, playing in 79 games and starting 12. The 28-year-old safety is coming off the best season of his career, statistically speaking.
A key special teams role player and backup safety in his time with the Bears, Bush started four games in 2021, notching career highs in tackles (40) passes defensed (5) and interceptions (2). He played 44% of the team’s defensive snaps in 2021, and at least 60% of Chicago’s special teams snaps in each of the last four seasons, so Kansas City will be getting a versatile player with a great deal of potential upside.
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Bush Had Hilarious Introduction to Chiefs Kingdom
Bush announced his signing with the Chiefs on Twitter shortly after the news broke on March 23 — but he did so at a rather inopportune time.
“What’s up Chiefs Kingdom!!” he tweeted, and was promptly met with a barrage of replies from Chiefs fans upset about the fact that the team’s three-time All-Pro wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, had just been traded to the Miami Dolphins.
@deonbushlive2 not now deon. read the room.
Immediately realizing his mistake, Bush had the perfect response:
“My bad ya’ll, I’ll hit ya’ll back later.”
My bad y’all, I’ll hit y’all back later 🚶🏾♂️🚶🏾♂️
The Chiefs already inked safety Justin Reid to a three-year deal be Tyrann Mathieu’s replacement, and Juan Thornhill should be Kansas City’s other starter, but Bush will give the team nice depth in the secondary.
As for the Bears, they now have another hole to fill on the roster, particularly considering their starting safety opposite Eddie Jackson over the last two seasons, Tashaun Gipson Sr., is also currently a free agent.
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With Exit of Bush, the Bears Need Depth at Safety, Stat
With Bush leaving, the Bears are losing one of their best special teams contributors who was also valuable because he could fill in for an injured starter at any given moment.
“I think he’s smart, he’s really smart,” former Bears safeties coach/defensive coordinator Sean Desai told the team’s official website about Bush in 2020. “He cares a lot, he’s really passionate. He’s shown that he’s really tough and willing to tackle, and he’s got really good range in the deep part of the field.”
“After you’ve been out there a long time, you get to learn the game,” Bush told the Bears’ website in 2020. “The game has slowed down for me tremendously and I’m just ready to take that next step this year.”
He took definite strides in 2021, and now, he’ll be reunited in Kansas City with former Bears head coach Matt Nagy, who was fired at the end of the 2021 season.
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