Reggie Bush may have his Heisman Trophy back, but ex-USC star's NCAA legal battle remains far from over

Bush's Heisman celebration at USC wasn't all smiles

By Cameron Salerno Apr 25, 2024 at 6:42 pm ET• 3 min read

LOS ANGELES -- Reggie Bush entered the 1923 Club on the seventh floor of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with his Heisman Trophy in his right hand. The journey to get the most coveted individual accolade in college football back to the former USC star had been more than a decade in the making -- until the Heisman Trust finally reinstated Bush's award on Wednesday.

Returning to a familiar spot where he starred in the mid-2000s, Bush expressed gratitude and relief that college football's highest individual honor, awarded to him after 2,200 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2005, was once again being officially recognized by the Heisman Trust. 

It was not all smiles, however. Bush also took aim at the NCAA and its now much-maligned infractions case involving him -- the very scandal that resulted in his Heisman forfeiture in the first place. 

"Getting the trophy taken away from me, that was icing on the cake, but being labeled a cheater was far worse," Bush said Thursday. "I have never cheated. There is no proof that I've cheated. ... I know there have been millions of doubters out there, and hopefully now those people can see that what we have been saying all along is true. What we have been fighting for all along is true."