After putting together one of the worst rushing seasons in NFL history last year, Reggie Bush is hoping that he'll get at least one more shot to prove he can still play in the NFL. 

The free agent running back, who spent the 2016 season with the Bills, told ESPN.com this week that he's still holding out hope that an NFL team will sign him to come on for the rest of the 2017 season. 

"I want to play this year. I still feel great," Bush said. "I still feel like I have enough left in the tank to play at a high level, but it's also going to come down to if there's a need for me on certain teams. And then also, if there is a need, it's going to have to be a good fit as well."

That last part is definitely important because Bush wasn't a good fit with the Bills last year. The former Heisman Trophy winner set an NFL record for futility when he carried the ball 12 times for negative-3 yards on the year. Bush's rushing total was the lowest ever recorded for a back who touched the ball 10 or more times. 

Before signing with Buffalo, Bush spent the previous season with the 49ers, where he carried the ball eight times for 28 yards before tearing his left meniscus. Basically, he's only carried the ball a total of 20 times over the past two seasons, which could mean one of two things: He's fresh for 2017 or he's washed up. 

Bush, who was the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, isn't going to sign with a team just to sign. He only wants to return to the NFL if he can actually contribute.  

"I don't want to go back in a situation just to go back and play," Bush said. "Obviously want to be in a situation where I can obviously be used the right way, be effective, all those different things."

Despite holding out hope that he might be able to play this year, Bush is also a realist. If his phone doesn't ring by the end of the season, the 11-year veteran is going to call it quits. 

"I still want to play, but if it doesn't happen this year, then I'm going to retire," Bush said. "I'm not going to miss a whole year and then try to come back for another season at 33 years old, it doesn't make sense."

If Bush does end up retiring, he'll end his career with 9,088 yards from scrimmage. During his time with the Saints, Dolphins, Lions, 49ers and Bills, Bush carried the ball 1,286 for 5,490 yards and caught 477 passes for 3,598 yards. Bush also won a Super Bowl in 2009 with the Saints.