After over a decade of backlash, it was announced this morning that the Heisman Trust has reinstated Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Trophy.
College football insider Pete Thamel made the announcement this morning on X to tons of fanfare from football fans, players, and coaches celebrating the news.
Later on, Thamel posted a photo of Bush with his newly returned Heisman Trophy at the reinstatement ceremony hosted by the trust.
The saga began in 2010 when Bush was stripped of the award following an NCAA investigation into USC. The investigation found that he received improper benefits while he was the running back in SoCal from 2003-2005. It’s believed that the benefits were monetary.
Many fans believed Bush was being unfairly punished, especially in 2013 when it was announced that fellow Heisman winner Johnny Manziel was being investigated for allegedly signing autographs for money, a blatant violation of NCAA rules. It was reported that “no evidence was found” that would make Manziel guilty, yet he was still suspended for the first half of Texas A&M’s season opener that year. The controversial ruling opened the Heisman Trust to new criticism about their treatment of Bush’s case when no punishment was tabled for Manziel.
Sentiment towards the trust regarding Bush worsened even further in 2021 when the NCAA approved the first ever Name, Image, and Likeness policy to allow college athletes to monetize themselves through sponsorship deals, merchandise, and more. The ruling essentially made what Bush was guilty of at USC completely legal. Despite this, the Heisman Trust continued to refuse reinstatement for Bush.
The argument reignited earlier this year when Johnny Manziel announced he would be boycotting all Heisman Trophy ceremonies until the trust overturned the ruling.
Many commentators in the sport believed that this stance by Manziel was the beginning of the end for the long-standing controversy, and they were right. Following the announcement of his reinstatement, Bush accepted the news with grace.
“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy,” Bush said. “I’m honored to return to the Heisman family. I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”
