TUCSON, Arizona — It's been a decade since Shannon and Ben Bushman watched their son, Matt, run past defenders for the Sabino Sabercats.
"Looks a lot the same," said Ben Bushman.
"The crowd was always great and it was Friday Night Lights," said Shannon Bushman.
As a senior at Sabino, Matt Bushman led the nation in receiving yards by a tight end with 1,583.
"He was bigger and stronger and ran faster than most of the kids his age so we always knew he was a little special in that way," said Ben Bushman.
Matt played collegiately at BYU, but missed his senior season with a torn achilles. After going undrafted, the Raiders signed him as an undrafted free agent, only to release him soon afterwards.
"We all suffer the disappointment right along with him," said Shannon Bushman.
Bushman signed on with the Chiefs. And then this past August, he scored two touchdowns in a preseason game against the Packers, only break his clavicle later in that same game.
"It was a great night and then it was a terrible night," said Ben Bushman. "It just felt like a gut punch seeing that happen."
Bushman was waived with an injury designation. The Chiefs then re-signed him, placed him on injured reserve, and after recovery, he was eventually placed on the practice squad late in the regular season. It means he does everything but play in the game.
It's a miracle for anybody to get this far," said Ben Bushman. "That's what we've learned."
