It seems strange that one of the best college football players of all time, who is in the College Football Hall of Fame, was stripped of his Heisman Trophy for off-field reasons. Non-criminal off-field advantages. The NCAA now approves of these benefits.
Reggie Bush won the 2005 Heisman Trophy. In 2010, he donated it back to the NCAA. Since 2021, he has been vociferous about having it returned. There’s even a defamation complaint.
Reggie willingly returned his Heisman after an NCAA investigation revealed he received thousands of dollars in incentives and a vehicle that were not permitted at the time. Everything is now permitted under new NCAA rules.
The NCAA clarified in 2021 that, despite their new standards, Reggie will not be re-awarded his Heisman Trophy. The NCAA declared in a statement that “Bush’s 2005 season records remain vacated by the NCAA and, as a result, under the rule set forth by the Heisman Trust and stated on the Heisman Ballot, he is not eligible to be awarded the 2005 Heisman Memorial Trophy.”
“One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005,” Reggie remarked in 2010. “To me, it was a dream come true. And I know that every young man who is lucky enough to win the Heisman Trophy joins a family of sorts. Each individual carries the award’s legacy and is responsible for its good name. For these reasons, I have made the tough choice to give up my status as Heisman winner in 2005.”
The running back discussed the honor in depth on an edition of the NFL Players: Second Act podcast, which was released on January 26, 2023. “I did not want to give it back. So let me just state that I didn’t want to do this. It was simply something I believed was appropriate at the moment.”
Later in the episode, he mentions how, sooner or later, he expects the trophy to return to him. “But do I believe it will come back? I’ve always felt this way in my heart. I’ve always felt that way, you know. I’ve always felt that once the facts were revealed, the trophy was
Reggie Bush was recently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
In December 2023, Reggie was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. His entry into the Hall of Fame begins: “One of the most dynamic players in the history of college football, Reggie Bush helped Southern California claim two national championships and a 37-2 record during his three years playing in Los Angeles.” It makes no mention of him winning or returning the Heisman Trophy.
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