Reggie Bush Might 'Harshly' Discipline His 1-Year-Old Daughter

Bush Came to Adrian Peterson's defense

ByABC News
September 16, 2014, 2:16 PM

— -- NFL star Reggie Bush told a radio call-in show that he disciplines his 1-year-old daughter, and one day could do so "harshly," as he came to the defense of fellow star Adrian Peterson's alleged parenting tactics.

The 29-year-old Detroit Lions running back made his comments during the "Boomer and Carton" radio show on New York's WFAN this morning.

"I most definitely discipline my daughter. I have a 1-year-old daughter, and I discipline her," he said. "Obviously, every person is different. I definitely will use my best judgment to discipline her depending on the situation, on what happens. I definitely will try to, will obviously not leave bruises or anything like that on her. But I definitely will discipline her harshly depending on, again, on what the situation is."

Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings star who now faces criminal charges for allegedly hitting his 4-year-old son with a switch, said that he was physically disciplined as a child and that is how he has chosen to raise his children. Bush said that he had a similar upbringing and "got what we call whoopings, you know, with a belt."

"I know a lot of my friends and a lot of the guys I played with, they were punished the same way, too," Bush said.

He seemed not to rule out the idea of hitting his daughter if he felt it was ever warranted.

"I'm not going to spank her because, hopefully, she won't do anything bad enough to where I have to," he added. "But also, at the same time, kids are going to be kids, and whatever I do, whatever discipline I give her its always out of love. Its always because I want the best for her, for my kids."

When asked directly about using a switch, as Peterson is accused of using, Bush said, "I would possibly consider [it], depending on what she did."

Later, however, he suggested he would not use a switch.

"No, I didn’t say a branch or a stick," he said. "I said spanking. Spanking is different than a branch or a stick."

A representative for Reggie Bush did not respond to a request for clarification from ESPN, which, like ABC News, is owned by Disney.