A split-second decision helped Deon Bush, Kansas City Chiefs return to Super Bowl

He wanted to bring it out of the end zone and run it back to glory.

Instead, Chiefs safety Deon Bush turned in one of the biggest moments in last week’s AFC Championship Game by making the smart football move and surrendering himself after an interception.

The play — early in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens — allowed the Chiefs to maintain a 10-point lead in a game they won 17-10. And that outcome sends the Chiefs to Super Bowl LVIII to face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Feb. 11.

On the all-important play, Bush, who had just entered the game on defense after an injury to Mike Edwards, undercut Isaiah LIkely’s route. Likely waved his arm to get quarterback Lamar Jackson’s attention, but it was Bush who came down with the catch.

No return ... although Bush might have considered it for a split-second.

“I wanted to,” he said. “I really wanted to. But I saw (Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman) closing in on me, so I went down. It was the safe play.”

The temptation to make a bigger splash would have understandable for a player who logged merely three defensive snaps in the game. Bush got just eight defensive snaps during the regular season, appearing in six games, mostly on special teams.

But he was needed last weekend, and “next man up” never seemed more relevant. Although he doesn’t play often, Bush made a veteran play.

“He played it perfectly,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “He had the right eyes for it. He helped on one side and took that away and made himself available...He almost made a mistake and started running out of the end zone. Then he remembered. It was a big, big play.”

The biggest of Bush’s career, which started in 2016. The former Miami Hurricanes strong safety was a Bears fourth-round pick, starting 12 games in six seasons with Chicago.

The Chiefs signed Bush as a free agent two years ago and used him special teams in their Super Bowl championship season of 2023.

The addition of Edwards, improved play from second-year pro Bryan Cook and emergence of rookie Charmarri Conner have made it a crowded KC safeties room this season. Bush appeared in one of the Chiefs’ first 12 games, spending most of the season on the practice squad.

But Bush was there when it mattered most, adding one of the three Chiefs’ takeaways that propelled them to their fourth AFC title and fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years.

“I knew it was big,” Bush said. “It’s a blessing to be able to go back to the Super Bowl with this team. Back to back.”