Reggie Bush Offers Johnny Manziel Advice On How To Deal With Media Attention

Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush has a bit of advice Browns rookie QB Johnny Manziel. When Bush was drafted in 2006, there was a slightly similar hype about him also. Bush wants Johnny to understand the power of NO, and keeping your circle small.

“It reminds me of what I went through, you know,” Bush told ESPN.com. “For him, he’s going to have to learn how to say no and that’s going to be extremely hard because it’s going to be the people closest to you who you’re going to have to learn to say no to.

“And then you’re going to have to keep your circle small so that you can be allowed to focus on football, because without football, nothing else is going to (matter).”

Bush also touched on his time on reality TV and dating Kim Kardashian.

“When I started dating my ex, that’s when all this stuff came,” Bush said. “But it’s part of the territory and, like I said, everything happens for a reason. A lot of it started in college, too, winning championships and all the different things we were able to accomplish at the collegiate level, that’s where it started obviously, why there was the attention at first, because of the accomplishments.

“Then all the other stuff came. The gossip magazines and all the other stuff, the ugly side of it. But you know what, I wouldn’t change anything because it helped mold and shape who I am today and I’m a better man for it.”

His final piece of advice:

“It’s good and bad,” Bush said. “When you’re young, you’re still trying to kind of find yourself, especially at the professional level. You’re still trying to find your identity and you’re still coming into your own as a player, as an athlete, you’re still trying to improve and have all these people pulling you in different directions. So it’s tough. It’s not easy.

“The best thing that you can do is just keep your circle small. Everybody is going to want a piece of you. Everyone is going to want to be your friend. Everyone has a great business idea. Everyone’s your cousin, your uncle, everything. The best thing you can do is keep your circle small and you have to learn how to say no. That’s the hardest thing, learning how to say no.”

The Browns and Lions face on Saturday in preseason NFL action.