NFL CAREER – Selected second overall after a record-setting college career at USC, Bush lived up to his draft billing with a memorable rookie season that was nothing short of sensational. The multitalented running back earned All-Rookie accolades after posting 1,523 total yards – 729 receiving, 565 rushing and 216 in punt returns – and scoring nine touchdowns. It was a smashing debut for a player who immediately became one of the league’s most exciting open-field runners and a threat to score from any distance. He was the only player in the NFL in 2006 to score touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a punt return, and his 88-yard touchdown catch-and-run for a touchdown at Chicago was the longest play in NFC Championship history. With 88 receptions on the season, he set an NFL record for catches by a rookie running back and he tied a club record vs. San Francisco, Dec. 3 with four touchdowns. Bush, who led the league with 33 catches on third down, won NFC Player of the Week honors twice and was named NFL Rookie of the Month for December.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed a six-year contract, 8/1/06; Drafted in the first round (second overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft.

HONORS – 2006: Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-Rookie Team; NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (December); NFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 13); NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week Five), NFL Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week (Week 1).

2006 – Played in all 16 games, starting eight, including one at wide receiver where he opened in the slot…Ranked 10th in the NFL with a team-high 88 receptions – which led all rookies and was second overall among running backs – for 742 yards and two touchdowns…Yardage total was second among running backs and second to teammate WR Marques Colston (1,038) among rookies… 88 catches set an NFL record for catches by a rookie running back (breaking mark of 83, FB Earl Cooper, San Francisco, 1980)…Led the NFL with 33 receptions on third down, for 297 yards and a TD…742 receiving yards rank third in league history for a rookie running back, trailing Miami RB Terry Kirby (874, 1993) and Washington RB Charley Taylor (814, 1964) – Taylor would move to WR later in his career…Ranked seventh among rookies in rushing with 565 yards on 155 carries (3.6 avg.) and six touchdowns…Added a team-leading 28 punt returns for 216 yards (7.7 avg.) and a 65-yard TD…Second on the team with nine touchdowns, highest total for a Saints rookie since RB George Rogers had 13 in 1981…Nine total TDs ranked second in NFL among rookies, trailing Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew (16)…Only player in the NFL to record TDs rushing, receiving and on a punt return…Had 59 first downs (27 rushing, 32 receiving), tied for 24th in the league and third among rookies…Tied club TD record with four (three rushing, one receiving) vs. San Francisco, Dec. 3 and had a pair of 100-yard receiving days and reached triple digits in rushing once…Named NFL Rookie of the Month for December and claimed NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 13 and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 5…In NFC Championship Game at Chicago, 1/21/07, had a game-high 132 yards on seven catches, including an 88-yard touchdown reception that was the longest play in NFC Championship Game history. All but two of his catches came in the second half…In the NFC Divisional Playoffs vs. Philadelphia, recorded 52 yards on 12 attempts and had a four-yard TD in the second quarter. Also had three catches for 22 yards and returned a trio of punts for 21 yards…In NFL debut at Cleveland, Sept. 10, recorded 15 carries for 67 yards, added seven receptions for 52 yards and three punt returns for 22 yards. Voted Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week…Started first NFL contest at RB at Green Bay, Sept. 17, and had eight receptions for 68 yards and four punt returns for 36 yards…Saw action at RB vs. Atlanta, Sept. 25 and posted 13 carries for 53 yards and four catches for 19 yards…At Carolina, Oct. 1, hauled in four passes for 48 yards, including 32-yard grab…Had a career-high 11 receptions for 63 yards vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 8, but contest is remembered for game-winning, 65-yard punt return for a touchdown with 4:17 remaining for 24-21 victory. TD came on the 100th “touch” of his young career (54 rushing attempts, 34 catches, 12th punt return). In addition, his 11 grabs tied for the second-most in team history by a running back (FB Tony Galbreath, 14 at Green Bay, 9/10/78). Earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors…Had 11 carries for 25 yards and four catches for 35 yards vs. Philadelphia, Oct. 15. Added three punt returns for 29 yards…Bottled up Oct. 29 vs. Baltimore, recording five rushes for 15 yards, four receptions for five yards and tossing an interception…At Pittsburgh, Nov. 12, had 10 carries for 49 yards, including a 15-yard TD for the first offensive touchdown of his career. Score came on a double reverse, punctuated by a diving flip over a defender into the end zone…Started Nov. 19 vs. Cincinnati and posted 13 carries for 51 yards, eight receptions for 58 and a pair of punt returns for eight yards. Broke the club record for receptions by a rookie (former mark: 54, shared by FB Tony Galbreath in 1976 and TE Cam Cleeland in 1998)…Dec. 3 vs. San Francisco started at RB and tied a club record (WR Joe Horn, vs. NY Giants, 12/14/03, all receiving) with four TDs. Scored three rushing (of one-, eight- and 10 yards) TDs and added a five-yard touchdown catch. Recorded nine grabs for 131 yards, including a 74-yard burst through a handful of defenders off a screen pass. Also tied a club record for rushing TDs in a game and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week…At Dallas, Dec. 10, started at RB and had six carries for 37 yards, six catches for 125 yards including a weaving 61-yard touchdown. Posted 25 rushing yards on three carries in the third quarter…Had five grabs for 19 yards vs. Washington, Dec. 17, giving him 84 on the year and breaking the NFL receptions record for a rookie running back in a season (San Francisco FB Earl Cooper, 83, 1980)…At NY Giants, Dec. 24, notched first 100-yard rushing day with 126 yards on 20 attempts, including one-yard TD. Recorded 80 yards rushing in the second quarter as the Saints took the lead for good. Also had a pair of receptions for 23 yards. Bush and RB Deuce McAllister (108) combined to be the third Saints duo to go over 100 yards in the same game. Bush earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors….Started and played briefly vs. Carolina, Dec. 31, posting 20 yards on three carries – capping the opening drive with a one-yard TD. Added a pair of catches for 13 yards. Named NFL Rookie of the Month for December, a stretch where he had 24 catches for 311 yards and 46 carries for 234 yards and scored seven touchdowns.

COLLEGE – The 2005 Heisman Trophy winner played in 39 games at Southern California with only 15 starts, but finished 10th in NCAA Division 1-A history with 6,551 all-purpose yards, a school career record. That mark was also third in Pac-10 history…Set school and conference season-record with 2,890 all-purpose yards in 2005, the third-best season total in Division I-A history…Gained 2,330 all-purpose yards in 2004, becoming the 12th player in NCAA history to gain over 2,000 all-purpose yards twice… Finished career with 3,169 yards (seventh in school history) and 25 TDs on 433 carries (7.3 avg.) and 1,301 yards with 13 TDs on 95 catches (13.7 avg.) Also posted 559 yards and three TDs on 44 punt returns (12.7 avg.)…In 2005, was named the Associated Press Player of the Year, and added Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, as well as the Doak Walker Award…Earned first-team All-American honors from the Associated Press, Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association, Walter Camp, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated…Just the fifth player to ever be named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year twice (second consecutive and the first non-QB to achieve the feat in 20 seasons)…Fifth in 2004 Heisman Trophy vote and a near-unanimous All-America selection...Set a school record for freshmen with 1,330 all-purpose yards.

PERSONAL – Became heavily involved in the community immediately after being selected by New Orleans in the NFL Draft. Donated $86,000 to resurface the field at Tad Gormley Stadium so high school football could be played again at a stadium. He also donated 12 Hummer vehicles to New Orleans, state and government agencies, became a regional spokesman for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his corporate sponsorships all include charitable components for programs in the New Orleans region…Political Science major at USC…Attended Helix (La Mesa, Calif.) HS where he was a 2002 Parade Magazine All-American and USA Today All-USA selection... During his prep career, rushed for 4,995 yards (12.0 avg.) and scored 450 points…Ran for 1,691 yards on 140 carries (12.1 avg.) with 27 TDs in 2002, despite missing four games with a broken wrist…Placed third in the 2002 California 100-meters final…High school teammate of San Francisco QB Alex Smith, the first pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.