Saints Alumni: USC ends its disassociation with Reggie Bush after 10 years

Former New Orleans Saints RB Reggie Bush has been reinstated by University of Southern California, ending a 10-year disassociation.

“I’ve dreamed of this day for 10-plus years, and I’m excited to come home!” - Reggie Bush on being reinstated at the University of Southern California.

“I am pleased to inform you that all restrictions and prohibitions on your involvement in our athletics program are officially removed and you will be afforded the privileges and courtesies extended to all Trojan football alumni.” USC President Carol L. Folt wrote to Bush on Wednesday. Ending a 10-Year NCAA Mandated Disassociation from the University.

USC received multiple penalties from the NCAA on June 10th, 2010, across both the Football and Men’s Basketball programs. The punishments stem from improper benefits given to All Pac-10 Basketball star O. J. Mayo and All-American Football star Reggie Bush. The NCAA banned the USC football program's eligibility to participate in the 2010 and 2011 college bowl games. USC's football program abandoned all victories Bush took part in beginning December 2004. The verdict included relinquishing the BCS National Championship victory against Oklahoma in January 2005. 

Once the NCAA concluded their inquiry and levied punishments in 2010, Reggie Bush returned his 2005 Heisman Trophy. The trophy was never re-issued.  The Heisman trust “no longer acknowledges Bush as a Heisman winner and is secretive about the trophy’s location.“

In the 2005 Heisman vacated season, Bush led the nation in all-purpose yards with 2,711. Bush rushed for 1,740 yards (4th) with 16 TDs averaging over 8.5 yards per carry. On The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Bush said, “To say I don’t want it [Heisman Trophy] back would be a lie.” 

Reggie Bush was the first draft pick of the Sean Payton era and helped New Orleans capture a Super Bowl title in 2009. The Saints selected Bush second overall in the 2006 NFL draft. In five seasons in New Orleans, Bush played in 60 games rushing for 2,090 yards, receiving for 2,142 yards and scoring 29 touchdowns. The two time All-American also made a difference for the Saints in the return game scoring 4 touchdowns and earning a 2008 All-Pro Punt Returner nod.

Reggie Bush and Marques Colston were inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 2019. Both players were members of Sean Payton's and Mickey Loomis' famous 2006 NFL Draft class. “There is some oddity that we’re honoring the first pick of our 2006 draft and the last pick of our 2006 draft.” Sean Payton said jokingly, adding, “They arrived here in a little different way.”

"I would say on a 10 Richter scale, the selection of Reggie Bush was a 9.9 for this organization...If you have a clear memory, you remember the crawfish boil across the street, you remember season tickets being sold out within two hours and they have been ever since that selection. That's pretty dynamic. This was Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson. That's how big it was."

- Sean Payton on the impact of Reggie Bush 

Bush concluded his NFL career in 2016, finishing with 5,490 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. Including a pair of 1,000-yard seasons with the Miami Dolphins in 2011 & 2012. As a rookie, Bush set an NFL rookie RB record with 88 receptions and secured at least 47 per year in four of his five seasons in New Orleans. Bush, 35, is employed by Fox Sports as an NFL analyst. 

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