Almost twenty years later, justice has been served. Reggie Bush will regain his 2005 Heisman Trophy after the Heisman Trust board stripped him of the trophy in 2010. After many years of backlash from the college football world and the monumental changes that college sports underwent, many fans and even college football legends pushed for Bush to get his Heisman Trophy back.
Will today’s decision usher in a new era of perceived wrong beings righted in a far different collegiate sports landscape?
How Did Reggie Bush Lose His Heisman Trophy?
The Heisman Trust stripped former USC running back Reggie Bush of his trophy after news of NCAA sanctions for USC. In one of the NCAA investigations, it was found that Bush received improper benefits of several thousand dollars and a new vehicle from 2003 to 2005.
In 2005, Bush rushed for 1,740 yards on 200 carries and scored 18 touchdowns for USC. His numbers and major contributions to the team’s play helped him win the Heisman. Bush would go on to be a first-round pick for the New Orleans Saints, win a Super Bowl, and have a solid career as an NFL running back.
Not only did he lose his trophy, but the NCAA also dissociated all of Bush’s records from the sport’s history. USC had to vacate their 2004 national championship and relinquish 30 scholarships.
A Notable College Football Legend Wanted To See Bush Get Heisman Trophy Back
In 2023, former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel was very vocal about his opinion that Reggie should get his trophy back. He tweeted that the NCAA’s action to Bush was “complete b******t” and supported Bush’s journey of getting the trophy back.
Manziel responded to a tweet from ex-professional cornerback Eric Locker regarding Bush’s situation. After Manziel’s documentary Untold: Johnny Football dropped, conversations rose once again for Bush to get everything back from the NCAA.
Reggie’s Lawsuit To The NCAA
Bush sued the NCAA in 2023 for defamation. The lawsuit stated that the 2010 investigation was faulty and sloppy. This also tied into how Bush should reclaim his Heisman Trophy. The dissociation ban of his records was lifted in 2020, but not everything was rectified.
Bush gained momentum from the media and college football fans by having a billboard in LA pushing for the NCAA to give the Heisman Trophy back to Reggie. Now that NIL deals are a very common thing, many questioned why Bush never got his award back. Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the news early this morning.
The Trust board told Thamel the decision was a very “deliberate process” and considered the major changes in college sports over the years. Bush told Thamel and ESPN:
“Personally, I’m thrilled to have been reunited with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of a storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family.”
This is a huge win for Bush, USC, and even college football. This shows how college football can possibly be more open-minded to changing past errors based on the current landscape of the game.
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About The Author
Justin is a writer and poet with nine years of professional experience covering sports, health topics, hip-hop events, and community matters. He’s a Richmond, Virginia native now based in Southern California. He has published two books under the pen name Jay Guevara and can be found on all social media @justinhisprime
