LATROBE, Pa. -- Rafael Bush had the conversation with his wife before she even went into labor. They knew the plan. And even though Bush was about to become a father for the second time, he couldn't stick around for long.
This is life in the NFL, particularly during training camp, when players are separated from their families for weeks to prepare for the season. Bush was able to fly from Detroit to Charlotte, where he makes his offseason home, on Monday after the Detroit Lions' practice.
While the rest of the team left for Pennsylvania, he got to go home. He and his wife planned on when to induce the birth, so Bush got home Monday evening. He couldn't sleep Monday night, knowing what Tuesday was bringing. He went to the hospital Tuesday, and Jordyn Amarie Bush -- all 7 pounds, 12 ounces of her -- was born Tuesday morning. He hung out with his wife, Tonya, and his new daughter for a few hours.
He then boarded a plane for Pittsburgh and returned in time for meetings Tuesday evening and a joint practice Wednesday with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"I just wanted to get back here with my teammates, man," Bush said. "My wife understood. This is a business that you have to make sacrifices. We talked about it beforehand, and, as long as she was OK with it, I relayed it to my coaches and it was good for me to come back."
Bush had a good practice Wednesday, breaking up a couple of passes and continuing to solidify his role as Detroit's starting strong safety next to Glover Quin.
Being part of a new team and the experience of sitting out the last year with a torn pectoral muscle prompted him to head right back to his team instead of taking a couple of days.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell has been good about players missing a day or two to be with family during childbirth. Last preseason, Lance Moore missed a game because of the birth of his first child.
Bush knew that. He wanted to be back even though it was hard for him. He said that he probably won't see his wife or daughter again in person until the start of the season but that the video call is a great tool. Free time becomes screen time so he can spend time with his family, including older daughter Makayla, even if he isn't going to be there.
"It was very difficult," Bush said. "I was thinking about it all the way up until training camp, knowing that I had to come back and knowing I had to leave them. So it was difficult, but, like I said, I said my prayers and asked the Lord to give me strength while I'm away from my family.
"I know my wife is going to take care of the home while I'm gone, and hopefully they'll be down here when the season starts."
Bush said had the situation been different -- either not being in his first year with a new team or had it been just a practice between the Lions instead of a joint practice with the Steelers -- he might have spent more time with his family. His teammates even told him he should have taken another day.
But with the chance for snaps and the chance to play against others instead of his teammates were valuable enough to him to make this decision.
"Obviously wanted to play against and practice against some other guys," Bush said. "See where I fit physically and mentally as far as the game is going, and it felt good [Wednesday]."
