Brian Cushing

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cushing trained throughout his childhood in Park Ridge, New Jersey. He attended Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey and went on to lead the Crusaders to the 2004 Group IV State Championship as a linebacker, tight end, and running back against Don Bosco Preparatory High School, providing huge plays in the 13–10 win. He was named '2004 North Jersey Player of the Year' by The Record, and played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl alongside future USC teammates Patrick Turner, Rey Maualuga, and Mark Sanchez. Cushing was recruited by top colleges, including Notre Dame, Georgia, and Penn State before eventually committing to the University of Southern California. He attended the University of Southern California and played for the USC Trojans football team from 2005 to 2008 under head coach Pete Carroll. Cushing shared the No. 10 jersey with Trojans starting quarterback John David Booty from 2005 to 2007. Cushing was on Phil Steele's 2007 pre-season All-America team and on the 2007 Bednarik Award and Lott Trophy watch lists. Cushing returned a failed onside kick attempted by Notre Dame at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for a late fourth-quarter touchdown on November 25, 2006. On January 1, 2007, Cushing was named the Defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl Game, after recording sacks and forcing a third-quarter fumble that changed the momentum of the game. Cushing was named AP 2nd Team All-American as a senior despite having pedestrian statistics (73 tackles, tackles for loss, and 3 sacks). NFL scouts did not admire Cushing for his statistics, but for his versatility. Fast enough to play inside and outside linebacker and big and strong enough to play defensive end. Cushing was one of twelve senior USC players, including the four senior linebackers Cushing, Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews III and Rey Maualuga, invited to the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine. He also participated in the 2009 Senior Bowl with Maualuga, Matthews, Patrick Turner and others. Alongside fellow USC linebackers Maualuga and Matthews, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2009 NFL Draft Preview magazine, as all three were regarded as potential first-round selections. Cushing, along with Archie Griffin of Ohio State University, are the only two players in college football history to have competed in the Rose Bowl as starters in all four seasons of their college careers. Coll

In Their Own Story

The roar of Reliant Stadium faded into a focused hum as Brian Cushing lined up in his stance, the white and deep steel blue jersey tight against his frame. The quarterback dropped back, eyes scanning for an opening that didn't exist. With a sudden burst, Cushing shot through the gap, ignoring the block to deliver a thunderous hit that silenced the crowd. He stood over the fallen ball carrier, helmet on, pointing to the sky—a silent testament to the grit that defined his era in Houston.

Reader's Guide

Cushing was selected in the first round with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft by the Houston Texans. He had one of the best defensive seasons by a rookie in NFL history. He scored his first career points on October 4, 2009, when he recorded a safety against the Oakland Raiders. This was the first recorded safety by a Texan since the 2002 season. Cushing was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6 of the 2009 NFL season, becoming the first rookie to earn the award in the 2009 season. In Week 8, Cushing was again named AFC Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the first Texans rookie to win the award twice in one season. Cushing was also named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November 2009. Cushing finished tied with Ray Lewis for the AFC lead with 133 tackles and added 4 sacks, 10 pass deflections, 4 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles. He was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a starter. Cushing was one of three rookies to make it to the Pro Bowl, another being a former USC teammate (Clay Matthews). On January 5, 2010, Cushing was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Cushing is the second Texan to win the award, the first being DeMeco Ryans in 2006. On May 7, 2010, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Cushing would be suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy, after he tested positive in September 2009 for having above-normal levels of the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone in his system. Cushing had previously denied rumors of having used performance-enhancing substances prior to being drafted. He then stated that he would undergo further medical tests to determine how hCG entered his system. Cushing still denies that he ever ingested or injected any performance enhancers and claimed the test result could have been from a cancerous tumor. On May 12, 2010, in a revote of the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award after his suspension was made public, Cushing again received the most votes, thus retaining his award. His second-team All-Pro status from his rookie season, however, was rescinded by the AP. In the final 12 games, he totaled 76 tackles, 1+1/2 sacks, 4 pass deflections, and 1 forced fumble. During training camp heading into the 2011 season, Cushing was told that he would be switching from outside to inside linebacker due to the new 3

Did You Know?

• Cushing was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for November 2009.
• He was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, not the 17th.
• Cushing played in only 6 games in 2013 before being placed on injured reserve after the October 20 game.