Defensive back Jarrett Bush was a Green Bay Packer for nine seasons – and a lot of Packers fans didn’t fully understand why.

Bush was primarily a special teamer, but he was long considered a liability in coverage on those occasions when he was forced into a game situationally or due to injury. And each time his contract would expire, Packers fans would scratch their heads when he was re-signed.

Cheesehead TV’s own Cory Jennerjohn, when Bush was busted for using performance-enhancing drugs in 2015, drawing a four-game suspension, wrote that it was ‘the best thing that could’ve happened to the Packers.” He praised Bush’s heart, but said, “Let’s be honest. Bush was terrible at coverage.”

Hard to say it any more plainly.

That Bush was in the NFL for nearly a decade is a testimony to the heart Jennerjohn wrote about. He was an undrafted free agent from Utah State and was first signed by the Carolina Panthers before being plucked off waivers by Green Bay.

And for all the criticism he took during the course of his career, there’s one game Packers fans have reason to remember fondly: Super Bowl XLV. I can’t lie, when Charles Woodson left the game in the first half with a broken left collarbone, and Jarrett Bush came jogging onto the field, I thought, “Well, we’re cooked now.”

But Bush rose to the occasion,.racking up five tackles and picking off Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger four and a half minutes prior to halftime. He mostly held his own on the biggest of NFL stages.

For his career, Bush played in 137 games and racked up 159 total tackles, with four interceptions. He also gave up a ton of yardage at times when pressed into duty. But you don’t stick around for nine seasons for nothing – make no mistake, he was a contributor.

And when the Packers handed Bush’s number 24 jersey to draft pick Quinten Rollins in 2015, the hand writing was on the wall for the long-time Packer.

"I've got a lot of respect for those guys and a lot of love for them,” Bush said about the Packers at the time. “If they come calling, I'm going to come running. But at the same time, I can't wait around. I have a family that has to eat. If need be, I'll have to open up a new chapter of my career and I'm OK with that." 

Bush is still a Green Bay guy – just a few years back, the Packers brought him in via the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Program. And more recently, the former Packer opened Green Bay’s first location of Blow Dry Bar, a high-end salon concept. The twist? All of the brand’s products are alcohol-free, carbon-free, sulfite-free, everything is Peta approved.

Bush credits his inspiration to open the salon, which is located at 2621 S Oneida St. (less than two miles from Lambeau Field), in Ashwaubenon, to his daughters.

“Come get blown away – inspired by my two little girls, took it upon myself to learn and educate myself so I discovered this brand Blow Dry Bar and it allows me to put hair and beauty on a pedestal,” Bush said.