Former Southern California football star Reggie Bush is suing his alma mater, the NCAA, and the Pac-12, aiming to recoup revenue generated from his name, image, and likeness during his time with the Trojans nearly two decades ago.
In a brief news release issued by Bush’s attorneys, the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback’s representatives argue that he deserves payment to rectify ongoing injustices related to the exploitation of Reggie Bush’s name, image, and likeness during his tenure at USC. The release did not disclose specific details about the intended lawsuit.
“This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush,” stated attorney Evan Selik. “It’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to rectify this injustice and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated, and treated fairly for their contributions.”
Bush was a standout player during his three years at USC from 2003-05, securing two national titles and the Heisman Trophy. He subsequently enjoyed an 11-year NFL career.
In 2010, Bush forfeited his Heisman after USC faced severe sanctions, partly due to Bush’s interactions with two aspiring sports marketers. The Heisman Trust reinstated the honor earlier this year and returned the trophy to Bush, highlighting significant structural changes in college athletics over the past 14 years.
Bush continues to pursue a separate defamation lawsuit against the NCAA, which he filed last year over its 2021 depiction of the events that led to his troubles.
It’s uncertain how this new lawsuit will impact Bush’s relationship with USC, which had seen a revival this year. He celebrated the return of his Heisman with a news conference atop the Coliseum last spring, and he was anticipated to lead the current Trojans out of the Coliseum tunnel at an unspecified game later this season.
USC responded to Bush’s lawsuit announcement with a statement: “Reggie will always be a revered member of the Trojan Family, and we were very pleased to support his successful efforts to recover his Heisman Trophy. We have not received a copy of the lawsuit so we are unable to address its allegations.”
After the 2010 NCAA ruling, USC was instructed to cut ties with Bush for a decade, but the institution has since welcomed him back. Just last month, USC reinstated his retired No. 5 jersey among the banners honoring the university’s eight Heisman winners at the Coliseum’s Peristyle.
Attorney Levi McCathern, who is also handling Bush’s defamation lawsuit, commented, “We appreciate that the new administration at USC is trying to pick up the pieces of the former administrations’ unjust and improper handling of Reggie Bush. However, the delay in fixing this speaks volumes.”
Bush is the latest former athlete this year to seek compensation for their past athletic careers under the newly amended rules in college sports. Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards were among several former Michigan stars who sued the NCAA and the Big Ten Network earlier this month. In June, a group of 10 players from NC State’s 1983 NCAA championship-winning basketball team filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company to seek compensation for the use of their names, images, and likenesses.
The NCAA and major college conferences are currently attempting to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to NIL compensation for athletes. A settlement agreement has been reached to pay $2.78 billion to hundreds of thousands of college athletes.
In 2021, the NCAA revised its rules to allow athletes to earn money through sponsorship and endorsement deals, after staunchly opposing such changes for decades.
Bush departed his role as a commentator for Fox Sports shortly before the last season. Recently, he was at his Encino home during an attempted break-in two weeks ago but was unharmed.
