Reggie Bush Says Paying College Athletes Could 'Destroy Some People'

Despite widespread public support for student athletes to be paid, former USC standout and NFL running back Reggie Bush expressed his concerns over college players potentially getting compensated for their name, image and likeness.

Last month, the NCAA's board of governors announced its support for a proposal allowing student athletes to be paid for sponsorships and endorsement deals.

"I missed out on getting guidance. They're about to start paying college athletes. It's going to destroy some people if their foundation is not in the right place," Bush told Playboy.com in a recent interview. 

"I hired a team, and I allowed my team to make decisions for me. I'm not saying I'm going bankrupt. But if I had the proper knowledge back then, there would be some things that would be different."

As part of the NCAA's recommendations, athletes can sell autographs and memorabilia and be paid for personal appearances. The proposal bans players from wearing school-branded apparel in their personal endorsement deals, and they must disclose financial terms of their contracts to their athletic departments.

A formal proposal is expected to be submitted by October to the NCAA board, and if it's approved, the new rules could go into effect as early as the 2021-22 academic year.

During his three seasons at USC, Bush helped lead the Trojans to back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004 before winning the 2005 Heisman Trophy. However, he forfeited the award in 2010 after the NCAA learned Bush and his family accepted cash and gifts from sports agents while he was a student.