Reggie Bush is not who I thought he was. More importantly, Reggie Bush is not really who anyone else thought he was.

Bush came to the Dolphins with a reputation for flairr but not fundamentals. He came as more a reality TV star than an NFL star. He came to the Dolphins as a walking Heisman Trophy highlight but carrying a professional résumé that lacked enough carries or solid work to merit unbroken attention.

Bush came to Miami after being drafted in New Orleans and this says what the Saints thought they had and gave up when they traded Bush: New Orleans took someone named Jonathon Amaya in an almost straight-up swap

Even after last season, when he eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time as a pro, Bush didn’t necessarily change how people around the league viewed him.

“I guess I probably … right, wrong or indifferent, you don’t study other guys a whole lot,” coach Joe Philbin said, “but maybe I had the USC kind of persona in mind — coming from a flashy program and the California concept there.”

Philbin is right. It’s easy to mistake Bush for being mostly about flash and not all that much about dash — something that’s really bad for a running back.

But none of that reputation, none of what we believed, none of what the Dolphins or Saints thought is what Reggie Bush has turned out to be so far in Miami.

When the trade was made, everyone thought the Dolphins were getting a thoroughbred who wanted to run in open spaces and avoid contact.

Who knew Bush could be a workhorse?

The Dolphins seemed to be getting a part-time player as Bush was in New Orleans. Instead they got a cornerstone to their offense.

And the surprises only start with his production.

“He’s a very businesslike individual,” Philbin said. “He’s a no-nonsense guy when it comes to football … . He works extremely hard. He’s quiet almost. I think he’s very well-respected. He’s got good leadership qualities because he leads by example.”

Bush is the hardest-working player on the Dolphins. He’s not one of the hardest-working. He is the hardest-working player on the team. He doesn’t miss practices and after those are over, he’s pulling a sled or running sprints or catching passes on his own.

Philbin joked that after one practice this week, he was eating a hamburger in the team lounge when he looked outside “and [Bush] was still on the practice field working,” the coach said. “So he’s been impressive.”

He has been more than anyone expected and right now he is one of the best running backs in the NFL without any of the diva trappings that sometimes brings.

Bush is second in the NFL with 241 rushing yards, and that impressive 5-yard-per-carry average he authored last year is up to 6 yards this year. But the statistics and the production are only part of the surprise.

This week, Bush was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. So, of course he soaked in the glowing attention, right?

Nope.

“Obviously, it’s not just about me,” he said. “This award is about the rest of the guys on the team who all had something to do with me getting player of the week. The offensive line did a great job, the receivers did a great job blocking.