Former Southern California football star Reggie Bush says he is suing his school, the NCAA and the Pac-12 in an effort to recoup money made from his name, image and likeness during his career with the Trojans two decades ago.
In a statement from Bush’s attorneys announcing the filing, representatives of the Heisman Trophy-winning running back argue that he should be paid “to address and correct ongoing injustices resulting from the exploitation of Reggie Bush’s name, image and likeness during his tenure as a USC football player.” The press release did not disclose details about the intended lawsuit.
“This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush,” attorney Evan Selik said in a statement. “It’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to right this wrong and pave the way for a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated and treated fairly for their contributions.”
Bush was one of the most exciting players in college football during his three years at USC from 2003-05, winning two national titles with the school and the Heisman, the award for college football’s most outstanding player. He went on to an 11-year NFL career.
Bush was stripped of his Heisman in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions stemming in part from Bush’s dealings with two ambitious sports marketers. The Heisman Trust reinstated the honor earlier this year and returned the trophy to Bush, citing fundamental changes in the structure of college athletics over the past 14 years.
Bush is still pursuing a separate defamation lawsuit he filed last year against the NCAA over the governing body’s 2021 characterization of the circumstances that led to Bush forfeiting the damages.
It’s unclear how the new lawsuit will affect Bush’s relationship with USC, which has been particularly warm this year. He celebrated the return of his Heisman with a press conference atop the LA Coliseum last spring, and he was expected to lead the Trojans out of the Coliseum tunnel for an unspecified game later this season.
The university released a statement in response to Bush’s announcement of the lawsuit: “Reggie will always be a respected member of the Trojan Family, and we were very pleased to support his successful efforts to regain his Heisman Trophy. We have not received a copy of the lawsuit, so we cannot address the allegations.”
The school was ordered to distance itself from Bush for 10 years following the NCAA’s 2010 ruling, but USC welcomed Bush back. Last month, USC gave his retired No. 5 a place of honor among the eight USC banners for Heisman winners on the Peristyle in the Coliseum.
“We appreciate the new USC administration attempting to pick up the pieces of the previous administration’s unjust and improper treatment of Reggie Bush,” said Levi McCathern, the attorney handling Bush’s separate defamation case against the NCAA. “The delay in resolving this, however, speaks volumes.”
Bush is the latest former athlete to seek damages in court this year for his previous athletic career, under new rules for college sports.
Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards were among the 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 team sued the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company, seeking compensation for the use of their names, images and likenesses.
The NCAA and major college conferences are now seeking to settle three antitrust lawsuits involving NIL compensation for athletes. There is a settlement agreement to pay $2.78 billion to hundreds of thousands of college athletes.
The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to earn money through sponsorship and endorsement deals. This came after decades of fierce competition. However, colleges are still not allowed to pay athletes directly.