USC Football: How Generational NIL Rules Play a Role in Reggie Bush’s NCAA Lawsuit
It was announced on Tuesday that former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush would be filing a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA.
Bush had been one of the players that the NCAA punished previously for his involvement in accepting extra financial expenses while he was a student-athlete at USC. He had his 2005 Heisman Trophy rescinded, and his records were essentially erased.
It was an extreme measure the NCAA took at the time, but they wanted to send a message. But now with the new name, image, and likeness rules that have been put into place, Bush believes he was wrongly targeted.
Bush forfeited his Heisman in 2010 after the NCAA investigated both him and his family members. It was found that he did accept cash, travel expenses and a house during his time at USC. The NCAA also found that Bush’s parents were living rent-free for over a year and were provided $10,000.
These payments made to Bush violated the policies that were in place by the NCAA. The punishment that he received changed how he was seen across the sport, thus making the current lawsuit valid.
"The lawsuit is based on the NCAA maliciously attacking his character through a completely false and highly offensive statement that was widely reported in the media and substantially and irreparably damaged his reputation," according to a statement from law firm McCathern, PLLC.
Any college football fan who was alive during the time Bush was a member of the Trojans knows what he accomplished. He was as special of a player as any during that time, helping lead USC to the 2004 National Title, which was eventually vacated by the NCAA.
While the problems that arose weren’t overly serious in the grand scheme of things, it was still a part of the rules at the time.
College athletes have long fought for financial compensation for their hard work every time they take the field, court, etc. Only recently did things go into effect within the college world, giving players a chance to earn money off their own name, image and likeness.
It was a long time coming for the NCAA. For Bush, this is a chance to redeem his name in the sport, and if the NCAA were to restore Bush’s records, it would serve as a vindication for him.
