Lions quotes: Reggie Bush talks about signing with Detroit

Below is a look at what new Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush had to say during his introductory press conference earlier this week. (Quotes provided by the Lions.)

On having WR Calvin Johnson and former Lions RB Barry Sanders reach out to him: "To have guys of that caliber, Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders, I believe he mentioned something on Twitter, and other people too, it means a lot. You know, it means a lot to have support in a situation like this. This is the first time I've ever been a free agent so this is unfamiliar, uncharted waters for me. So, I was very nervous. I didn't get any sleep last night. In all honesty, I was talking to the coaches, I got about two, three hours of sleep last night just because I was up, I was thinking. Just thinking about all the possibilities and, you know, we had such a great meeting that it almost seemed too perfect. But I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to get this thing on the road and get to work because I think it's going to be a good thing. I look forward to winning a lot of football games here."

On what goes through his mind when he sees a six or seven-man box on defense: "Oh, it's a running back's dream. It's the first thing we talked about. You know, when we're watching film and we see those safeties deep and the safeties rolling over, you know, double covering Calvin Johnson, it's a running back's dream. You know, we have to be able to run the ball in those situations and that's one of the reasons I wanted to come here is to be able to bring a balanced attack and help take some of the pressure off Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford and just complement them. So, you know, I think it's going to work out well."

On what else attracted him to the Lions: "Just speaking with coach (Jim) Schwartz and coach (Scott) Linehan, the language was the same. The way we talked about football and the things that we wanted to see out of this thing was the same and it just made sense. It felt right from the beginning. And, like I said, it just made sense. They didn't have to really sell me too much on it. You know, they could have just pulled up one clip and I was already sold."

On how many carries he is comfortable with at this stage of his career: "You know, I've done three or four carries a game, I've done 20, 25 carries a game, you know, I'm comfortable when we win. That's what I'm most comfortable with and that's what I'm here for to help this team. Not so much worried about my personal stats. I think I'm at the point in my career now where winning is the most important thing to me and I felt the same with the coaches and the players here too. So, it's not about numbers. It's just about how we can be the most successful on the football field on Sundays."

On the Lions finishing 4-12 last season after making the playoffs in 2011: "I'm extremely confident. When I was in New Orleans my rookie year, we went to the NFC Championship game and then the next two years, one year we didn't even make .500, I think we were 7-9, and then another year we were 9-7. Then the following year we end up winning the Super Bowl. So, I'm not so much worried about records or what happened last year. Every year is a new year. What happened last year has no bearing on what's going to happen in this season. That's the way we have to approach it. We have to approach it as a new year and learn from the mistakes of last year, but at the same time figuring out a way to get better."

On what possibilities he thought about last night: "Just the possibilities of being out there on the football field, you know, with Calvin (Johnson) and (Matthew) Stafford and all the other guys out there. Just scoring a lot of points, all the time."

On what he expects his role to be with the Lions: "I don't know. That's a question you've got to ask coach (Jim) Schwartz. But I definitely know I'll be out there on the football field a lot."

On what a quarterback means to a running back: "Yeah, it means a lot. You know, especially in an offense like this. You know, having a quarterback who is smart for one, and has the arm strength and accuracy to be able to get the ball out there. I mean, his (Matthew Stafford's) numbers speak for himself. He's thrown for 5,000 yards the last two years. So, having a quarterback like Matthew makes all the difference and this offense doesn't work without him."

On what Stafford said to him today: "Just congratulations. He was excited to have me and, you know, we've just been talking about all the possibilities and all the different looks and opportunities that we're going to have in this offense. Just excited at the opportunity to be able to play together."

On how much Lions players reached out to him recently: "It really wasn't a whole lot. You know, between Matthew and Calvin and Nate Burleson, just sending me texts saying, you know, "Hey if we ever have the opportunity to play together, we would love to have you down here and love to have your skill set on this football team and we love what you do." Just stuff like that."

On if playing in a dome and Lions fan base: "I played in a dome, I played outside. I've done both. I played on grass, on turf, you know? I did love the fact that the Lions, you know, have such a strong fan base here and that the fans show up and sell out all the home games. That's really important. Hopefully we can keep that going this year."

On if he knows what number he will wear: "I don't know what number I'm going to wear. I know 22 is retired so I'm going to have to work with something else."

(Note: Bush has decided to wear No. 21.)

More:

• Follow all of the Lions' free agency news

• 2013 Detroit Lions free agency tracker

• Recap of the Lions' crazy Wednesday

• Lions agree to two-year deal with Louis Delmas