Reggie Bush is getting his Heisman back!
Bush’s forfeited 2005 Heisman Trophy will officially be reinstated to him, The Heisman Trust announced Wednesday. Today, thanks to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules, college athletes regularly receive millions more than Bush allegedly did. Trust President Michael Comerford specifically mentioned the new landscape as a major reason for the Trust’s decision to reinstate. (RELATED: Johnny Manziel Says The NCAA Should Give Reggie Bush His Heisman Back)
“We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie,” Comerford said. “We are so happy to welcome him back.”
NEW YORK: Running back Reggie Bush #5 of the USC Trojans, winner of the 2005 Heisman trophy, speaks with the media at the 71st Annual Heisman Ceremony on December 10, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Chernin/Getty Images)
Bush unceremoniously forfeited his Heisman in 2010 after an NCAA investigation revealed he allegedly improperly received hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts while attending the University of Southern California (USC).
Bush will once again receive the physical trophy and is allowed to attend all future Heisman ceremonies as a member of the vaunted fraternity, according to the statement.
Well, welcome back, Mr. Bush! A reversal to one of the most incredible injustices in college football history is welcome news on this Wednesday morning.
Did Bush accept hundreds of thousands in gifts from a marketing agency to entice him to come to USC? Who knows. But, guess what? Literally every top recruit in college football did. It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in sports that boosters and “friends of the program” are constantly putting their thumb on the scale and sweetening the pot for potential recruits.
But now all that is behind us as, in the days where guys like LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels can reap millions in NIL benefits, it’s unfair to keep punishing Bush for allegedly getting a few hundred thousand.