Buffalo Bills safety Rafael Bush has retired from the NFL, the team reported Friday.
Bush, who played high school football at Williston-Elko and collegiately at South Carolina State, appeared in 91 games for five different teams after being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010 by the Atlanta Falcons.
He was signed away from the Falcons' practice squad by the Denver Broncos before ever playing in Atlanta, and he appeared in six games for the Broncos.
Bush went from Denver to New Orleans in 2012, and he stayed with the Saints for the next four seasons before returning for an additional year in 2017. In between, he played a full season with the Detroit Lions.
He signed a two-year deal with the Bills and appeared in 15 games in 2018. The Bills also announced Friday that they signed former Carolina Panthers safety Kurt Coleman.
The 5-foot-11, 203-pound safety had a hand in 242 tackles and 3½ sacks. He had thee interceptions, 12 passes defended, a forced fumble and one touchdown – a 39-yard pick-six for the Lions in 2016.
A multi-sport star at Williston-Elko, Bush was among the top area rushers with more than 1,800 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2003. He finished his collegiate career as South Carolina State's Defensive MVP. His versatility as a defensive back was appealing to pro scouts, as was his 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the Bulldogs' Pro Day.
