Reggie Bush sues USC, Pac-12 and NCAA to seek NIL compensation from football career 2 decades ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Southern California football star Reggie Bush says he is suing his school, the NCAA and the Pac-12 in a bid to recoup money made on his name, image and likeness during his career with the Trojans two decades ago.

In a brief news release from Bush's attorneys Monday announcing the filing, the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback's representatives claim he should be paid “to address and rectify ongoing injustices stemming from the exploitation of Reggie Bush’s name, image, and likeness during his tenure as a USC football player.” The release revealed no specifics about the intended suit.

“This case is not just about seeking 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 where athletes are rightfully 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 while winning two national titles and the Heisman. He went on to an 11-year NFL career.

Bush forfeited his Heisman in 2010 after USC was hit with massive sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings 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 athletics over the past 14 years.

Bush is still pursuing the 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's unclear how the new lawsuit will affect Bush's relationship with USC, which had been particularly warm this year. He celebrated the return of his Heisman with a news conference atop the Coliseum last spring, and he was expected to lead the current Trojans out of the Coliseum tunnel at an undetermined game later this season.

The university issued a statement in response to Bush's lawsuit announcement: “Reggie will always be a revered member of the Trojan Family, and we were very pleased to support his successful efforts to recover his Heisman Trophy. We have not received a copy of the lawsuit so we are unable to address its allegations.”

The school was ordered to disassociate from Bush for 10 years after the 2010 NCAA ruling, but USC had welcomed back Bush. Last month, USC returned his retired No. 5 to its place of honor among USC's eight banners for its Heisman winners on the Peristyle at the Coliseum.

“We appreciate that the new administration at USC is trying to pick up the pieces of the former administrations’ unjust and improper handling of Reggie Bush," Levi McCathern, the attorney also handling Bush's separate defamation lawsuit against the NCAA. "However, the delay in fixing this speaks volumes.”

Bush is only the latest former athlete to seek compensation through the courts this year for their prior athletic careers under the new rules in college athletics.

Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards were among several former Michigan stars who sued the NCAA and the Big Ten Network earlier this month. In June, a group of 10 players on NC State's 1983 NCAA championship-winning basketball team sued the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company to seek compensation for use of their names, images and likenesses.

The NCAA and major college conferences are currently attempting to settle three antitrust lawsuits related to NIL compensation for athletes. There is a settlement agreement in place to pay $2.78 billion to hundreds of thousands of college athletes.

The NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to make money through sponsorship and endorsement deals after fiercely fighting against it for decades.

Bush left his job as a commentator for Fox Sports shortly before last season. Bush was at his Encino home during an attempted break-in two weeks ago, but was unharmed.

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Greg Beacham, The Associated Press