One college football legend is taking a stand in support of another. On March 2, Johnny Manziel publicly announced his decision not to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremony again until Reggie Bush gets his 2005 trophy back.“After careful thought and consideration, I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman Trophy ceremony until @ReggieBush gets his trophy back,” Manziel posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “[It] doesn’t sit right with my morals and values that he can’t be on that stage with us every year. Reggie IS the Heisman trophy.
“Do the RIGHT thing, @NCAA. The ball is in your court.”
Bush voluntarily forfeited his trophy in 2010 when he was caught receiving improper benefits from during his time as a student-athlete. Before the days of student-athletes being able to profit off their name, image and likeness, the athletes weren’t allowed under NCAA rules to be compensated while at the school. Bush is one of the most famous student-athletes to have existed in the modern college sports era. He played at USC in Los Angeles at a time when the Trojans were the best team in the country, and he was the undoubted star of the program, next to quarterback Matt Leinart. He ran the ball from sideline to sideline and evaded tacklers in some of the most entertaining ways football fans have ever seen. To add to the Hollywood persona, fresh out of college in 2007 through 2009, Bush dated Kim Kardashian. While at USC, though, he wasn’t allowed to legally make a dollar off his fame.
The NCAA found out Bush and his family accepted cash and gifts from marketing agents. Reports also claim his parents were given a house to live in rent-free with money to furnish it.
Manziel brought up Bush in his recent sit-down interview with Shannon Sharpe on “Club Shay Shay.”
