“It is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated.”: Reggie Bush releases a statement asking for his Heisman Trophy back after new NCAA NIL rules

The NCAA’s NIL rules come into force on July 1 finally allowing college athletes to strike business deals for their name. So Reggie Bush was in the headlines as fans, athletes, and analysts came out in support to reinstate the Heisman Trophy that was stripped off of Bush. He released a statement after the Supreme Court ruling yesterday.

What are the NIL rules?

The NCAA’s new NIL rules come into effect today. The rules state that college athletes can get compensation for the use of their name and celebrity status.  Examples include being paid for autographs, appearing in an advertisement, or providing a social media shoutout. It means that a business can strike a deal with an athlete and pay them to tout their services or product.

What happened to Reggie Bush?

Reggie Bush was a force during his career as a USC Trojan. In 2005, Bush had a massive 2,611 all-purpose yards and scored 18 times on his way to being named the best player in collegiate football and winning the Heisman Trophy.

But Bush was stripped of his Heisman Trophy in 2010. Bush and his family reportedly received $300,000 in benefits from an outside agent during his time at USC. This lost his amateur status and was therefore not eligible for the award.

Reggie Bush released a statement after the new NIL rules

USC has since mended its relationship with Bush and embraced him as a football alumnus. Now Reggie Bush is asking for his Heisman Trophy back.

“Over the last few months, on multiple occasions, my team and I have reached out to both the NCAA and The Heisman Trust in regard to the reinstatement of my college records and the return of my Heisman,” he said in a statement. “It is my strong belief that I won the Heisman trophy ‘solely’ due to my hard work and dedication on the football field and it is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated.”