Former University of Southern California football star Reggie Bush has taken legal action against his alma mater, the NCAA, and the Pac-12, seeking compensation for the use of his name, image, and likeness (NIL) during his playing career with the Trojans nearly two decades ago.
On Monday, Bush’s legal team announced the lawsuit, stating that the Heisman Trophy-winning running back is fighting for compensation to “address and rectify ongoing injustices stemming from the exploitation of Reggie Bush’s name, image, and likeness during his tenure as a USC football player.”
“This case goes beyond justice for Reggie Bush alone,” attorney Evan Selik said in a statement. “It’s about setting a precedent for all college athletes. We aim to correct this wrong and establish a system where athletes are rightfully recognized, compensated, and treated fairly for their contributions to college sports.”
Bush was one of the most electrifying and celebrated college football players in recent history during his three-year career at USC from 2003 to 2005, helping the Trojans secure two national titles and winning the Heisman Trophy. After a standout college career, Bush played 11 seasons in the NFL.
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However, Bush forfeited his Heisman Trophy in 2010 following an NCAA investigation that led to severe sanctions against USC. The NCAA found that Bush had accepted improper benefits from two aspiring sports marketers during his time at the university. The Heisman Trust restored the award to Bush earlier this year, acknowledging significant changes in college athletics over the past 14 years, including new NIL rules.
The new lawsuit is a continuation of Bush’s legal battle for restitution. In 2022, Bush filed a separate defamation lawsuit against the NCAA over the organization’s portrayal of his actions in 2021. Bush’s legal team argued that the NCAA’s characterization of the events that led to his punishment damaged his reputation. That case is still ongoing.
It remains to be seen how Bush’s latest legal actions will affect his relationship with USC, which had recently improved. The university was ordered to disassociate from Bush for 10 years following the 2010 sanctions, but in 2020, USC welcomed Bush back, restored his No. 5 jersey to its place of honor, and celebrated the return of his Heisman Trophy. Bush had even been scheduled to lead the Trojans out of the Coliseum tunnel for a game later this season.
“We appreciate that the current administration at USC is making efforts to rectify the injustices of previous administrations in their handling of Reggie Bush’s case,” said Levi McCathern, another of Bush’s attorneys. “However, the delay in fully addressing this issue speaks volumes.”
USC has yet to comment on the new lawsuit, and its potential impact on Bush’s renewed ties to the program is unclear.
Bush is part of a broader wave of former athletes seeking compensation for the use of their NIL during their collegiate careers, a right that was only granted by the NCAA in 2021 after years of resistance. Earlier this year, former Michigan football stars Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards filed a similar lawsuit against the NCAA and the Big Ten Network, while 10 players from NC State’s 1983 NCAA championship-winning basketball team filed suit in June.
The NCAA and major college athletic conferences are currently trying to settle several ongoing antitrust lawsuits related to NIL compensation, with one proposed settlement amounting to $2.78 billion to be paid to hundreds of thousands of college athletes.
With the NCAA’s shift in policy allowing athletes to profit from sponsorship and endorsement deals, Bush’s case may serve as a landmark in the ongoing fight for retroactive compensation for past players, many of whom feel they were unfairly exploited during the pre-NIL era of college sports.
