Bushrod signs autographs at NSF Dahlgren

Intimidating, no. Humble and unassuming, definitely.

Bushrod, a King George native, visited Naval Support Facility Dahlgren on Thursday and held court in the multipurpose room of Cannonball Lanes. Lines of fans streamed to the Commissary during his visit.

Bushrod is the starting left tackle for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, victors over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. You might have noticed him in the post-game celebration at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla. He was the one parading around the field with the King George County flag. Home is never far away for Bushrod.

‘‘I’m just so glad to be back,” he said as he signed footballs, shirts, coats, pictures and whatever else the nearly 500 autograph seekers offered him. One thing is for sure, everyone in attendance got a smile from Bushrod.

‘‘Being able to come back home and share this with everyone, it’s just the best thing,” he said. ‘‘It’s so great to see everyone.”

‘‘His schedule has been so crazy,” said his mother, Brenda, an employee of the communications center for NSWCDD and her son’s calendar manager. ‘‘Everyone wants to see him, and he’s doing the best he can to see everyone he can.”

Bushrod has certainly made the rounds, spending time at Heritage Hall Nursing Home, and also visiting the home of Wesley Berry, a King George High School freshman who is battling cancer. His visit to NSF Dahlgren not only allowed military members to meet him, but he was reunited with former high school classmates, former teammates and coaches, and lots of friends and family.

Interestingly, his first love was baseball.

‘‘I was really big as a kid,” Bushrod said, ‘‘and some of the parents were a little afraid of me playing football. But I didn’t care because I loved baseball.”

However, as a King George High School freshman, he found football and excelled. After graduating from KGHS in 2002, he went to Towson University, and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints.

Bushrod is a restricted free agent going into the 2010 season and is ready for whatever waits.

‘‘I’d like to stay with the Saints,” Bushrod said, ‘‘but whatever happens, I’m ready to deal with it.”

Playing in New Orleans certainly has its advantages.

‘‘The whole scene in New Orleans was amazing,” said Bushrod, reflecting on the Saints’ return to their home city after the game, and the parade and parties that ensued. ‘‘It was so nice to be able to give them a Super Bowl championship, but overall, I’m really glad to be back home.”