Reggie Bush sues USC, Pac-12 and NCAA seeking zero compensation for his 2-decade football career
LOS ANGELES — Former Southern California football star Reggie Bush has filed a lawsuit against his school, the NCAA and the Pac-12 seeking to recover money earned from his name, image and likeness during his career with the Trojans two decades ago.
In a brief press release from Bush’s attorneys announcing the lawsuit’s filing Monday, representatives for the Heisman Trophy-winning running back say he should be paid “to redress the ongoing injustices arising from the exploitation of Reggie Bush’s name, image and likeness during his tenure as a USC football player.”
“This case is not just about getting justice for Reggie Bush,” attorney Evan Selik said in a statement. “It’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes. Our goal is to rectify this injustice and pave the way for a system in which athletes are recognized, compensated and treated fairly for their contributions.”
Bush was one of the most exciting players in recent college football history during his three years at USC from 2003-05, winning two national titles and the Heisman. He then went on to play in the NFL for 11 years.
Bush lost his Heisman Trophy in 2010 after USC was hit with massive sanctions partly related to Bush’s relationships with two aspiring sports marketers. The Heisman Trust restored the honor earlier this year and returned the trophy to Bush, citing fundamental changes in the structure of college sports over the past 14 years.
Bush is still pursuing a separate defamation lawsuit he filed against the NCAA last year over the governing body’s 2021 characterization of the circumstances that led to Bush’s troubles.
It is not yet clear how the new trial will affect Bush’s relationship with USC, which has been particularly warm this year.
The university was ordered to disassociate itself from Bush for 10 years after the 2010 NCAA ruling, but USC welcomed Bush back and hailed the return of his Heisman Trophy while restoring his No. 5 to its place of honor among USC’s eight banners for its Heisman winners on the Coliseum peristyle. Bush was scheduled to lead the current Trojans out of the Coliseum tunnel in an unspecified game later in the season.
“We recognize that the new USC administration is attempting to repair the damage caused by the previous administration’s unfair and inappropriate management of Reggie Bush,” said Levi McCathern, the attorney who is also handling Bush’s separate lawsuit against the NCAA. “However, the delay in resolving this issue speaks volumes.”
USC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Bush’s new filing.
Bush is the latest former athlete to seek compensation in court this year for his past athletic career under new college athletic rules.
Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards were among Several former Michigan stars have filed a lawsuit the NCAA and the Big Ten Network earlier this month. In June, a group of 10 players The 1983 NCAA champion North Carolina State basketball team sued the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company for compensation for the use of their names, images and likenesses.
The NCAA and major college conferences are currently trying to settle three antitrust lawsuits relating to NIL compensation for athletes. There is a settlement agreement in place to pay out $2.78 billion to hundreds of thousands of college athletes.
The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to earn money through sponsorship and endorsement deals after fiercely opposing the practice for decades.
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