Detroit Lions" Reggie Bush: "There"s some form of injustice that"s going on ...

Detroit Lions Comeback Victory against Saints | LIVE 10-19-14

DETROIT -- Reggie Bush is the son of a San Diego cop. He grew up around the police force, has great respect for the men and women who patrol our country"s streets, and understands the unique difficulties of living life in harm"s way.

But he has no sympathy for the New York City cop who killed Eric Garner with a chokehold while trying to make a July arrest.

Bush says he has been upset for weeks about the Eric Garner situation, and all that anger came to a head last week when a grand jury declined to indict the officer. So he decided to protest.

The Detroit Lions tailback scribbled "I Can"t Breathe" in big, black letters across the front of his blue warmup shirt before Sunday"s 34-17 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Garner"s death was caught on tape, and his last moments were spent saying "I can"t breathe" to the officer who clenched his throat.

"I"ve always been the kid who is reserved and stays out of stuff like that, but I just felt like these last couple weeks, I"ve been really upset about what"s happening from a police standpoint," Bush told MLive.com after the game.

"I don"t know all the details or facts with the Ferguson issue, or the Eric Garner issue, but I know there"s some form of injustice that"s going on. And it really affected me."

Why did it hit Bush so hard?

"I don"t really have an answer why it affected me so much. It just did, to see that," Bush said. "It"s just really unfortunate, and so I thought that would be my way of protesting a little bit."

Bush said he thought about making his protest during last week"s nationally televised Thanksgiving game against the Chicago Bears, but he ended up not playing due to an ankle issue.

He returned against Tampa Bay, after missing five of the past seven games, and rushed eight times for 26 yards in the win. But he made his loudest statement before the game ever started.

Bush has suffered through an injury plagued season and is no longer among the league"s best players, but he still has star power and knew his pregame gesture could ignite more national conversation about what he sees as an injustice.

"That was the point," he said. "It"s unfortunate to see that on video. To watch that on video.

"I just felt sad, embarrassed, disgusted (when I saw it). Hurt for his family that he died that way. That"s just terrible."

Bush"s mother, Denise Griffin, is a 20-year veteran of the San Diego police force, and currently serves as a sheriff"s deputy. Bush said he didn"t talk to her about his pregame protest, but knew she would support him for it.

"I think everybody in some way, shape or form feels that the situation was not handled the right way," Bush said. "No matter who you are, what your skin color is, religious preference, sexual preference, I think when you see that video, everybody feels like that was a terrible situation and probably not handled the right way."

Reggie Bush did not clear the shirt with coach Jim Caldwell, but Caldwell, a child of the 1960s, said he didn"t care and supports his tailback"s peaceful protest.

"I grew up in the "60s, where everybody was socially conscious," Caldwell said. "I believe in it. I would be a hypocrite if I stood up here and told you any differently.

"More than likely, some of those protests that Dr. King and some of the others took part in, non-violent protests, is the reason why I am standing here in front of you today. So absolutely, no question about it. I don"t mind it."

Bush"s gesture is the latest in a series of protests by professional athletes.

Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose wore a "I Can"t Breathe" shirt before an NBA game on Saturday, and other NFL players followed suit Sunday. Browns cornerback Johnson Bademosi warmed up with a similar shirt, while St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Davin Joseph wrote "I Can"t Breathe" on his cleats.

That all follows a group of five St. Louis Rams who recently took the field with the "don"t shoot" pose. The St. Louis police later demanded a "very public apology."

As for Bush, he went on to carry the ball eight times for 26 yards in his return against Tampa Bay. He said he did "nick up" the ankle, but felt OK and is pleased with his progress.

"Felt good to just finish a game without any setbacks or getting carried off the field," he said. "It just felt good to be out there playing."

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Source: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2014/12/detroit_lions_reggie_bush_disg.html