The Pittsburgh Steelers have been hit or miss in their first-round draft selections over the last decade, with multiple players turning out to be duds. Quarterback Kenny Pickett and cornerback Artie Burns are some of the best examples of the team's failed projects, but linebacker Devin Bush is a more interesting case. Bush looked like a future star in the Steel City before a major injury and inconsistent play cut his tenure short. Bush has since bounced around the league and has now found a home with the Chicago Bears, where he has become a solid contributor.
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Devin Bush and Roger Goodell pose for a photo after he's selected by the Steelers.
The Steelers selected Bush with the 10th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after trading up with the Denver Broncos. Bush was a standout linebacker with the Michigan Wolverines, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Linebacker of the Year awards in 2018 before eventually being drafted by Pittsburgh.
Bush looked like a home run pick during his rookie season in 2019, recording 109 tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 4 passes defended. His combination of athleticism and coverage skills earned him a reputation as the next great Steelers linebacker. Unfortunately for Bush, he suffered a torn ACL during Week 6 of the 2020 NFL season, forcing him to miss the remainder of his sophomore season. When he returned in 2021, he did not look like the same player he was during his rookie year, which carried over into the 2022 season that ended up being his final year in Pittsburgh.
Bush signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks before the 2023 season and appeared in 13 games for the team, but did not see the field often and produced very little. Before the 2024 season, Bush signed a deal with the Cleveland Browns and had a boost in production compared to his Seattle tenure. He earned himself another one-year deal with Cleveland, and during the 2025 season, Bush had a career resurgence. He recorded a career-high in tackles with 125 while adding 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 interceptions, 8 passes defended, and scoring 2 touchdowns.
Bush's outstanding play earned him a three-year, $30 million contract with the Bears, and he now looks like one of the better players on the defense. Through 8 games in 2026, he has recorded 44 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries and has helped the Bears jump out to a 6-2 start.
During a recent episode of the Deebo & Joe podcast, Hall of Fame semifinalist linebacker James Harrison spoke about Bush's tenure in Pittsburgh and how the team may have mistreated him.
"Look at Devin Bush, he is balling in Chicago," Harrison said. "We drafted and cut him. Was he not a baller then? He was not put into the right position. They needed to see something early from him and did not see it. Those [first-round] type of guys are the ones that you should be giving the most time to develop."
While Bush might not have been given the proper opportunity to recover from a major injury and prove himself to be worth the first-round pick the Steelers used on him, the NFL is a fast-moving business and injuries are unfortunately part of football.
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Linebacker Devin Bush Jr. warms up before a game during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers have struggled to find consistent contributions at the inside linebacker position for quite some time, and Bush was expected to change that. It is a shame that he did not pan out in Pittsburgh, but he is now making a career for himself.
Steelers Seem To Have Finally Found A Pair Of Good Linebackers
Linebackers Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson are currently playing their most efficient football during their time with the Steelers. Queen, who Pittsburgh signed before the 2024 season, has received plenty of criticism since arriving in the Steel City, but is now having the best season of his tenure with the team. Wilson, who the Steelers selected in the third round of the 2024 draft, is beginning to work through his weaknesses and has been playing extremely efficiently over the last few games. This duo has seemed to finally find its footing, and has helped the Steelers' defense look like one of the best units in the NFL in 2026.
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