Legendary running back Reggie Bush plans to file defamation lawsuit against NCAA: reports

Legendary college football running back Reggie Bush is preparing to file a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA on Wednesday stemming from a July 2021 statement, according to multiple reports.

“The lawsuit is based on the NCAA maliciously attacking his character through a completely false and highly offensive statement that was widely reported in the media and substantially and irreparably damaged his reputation,” the law firm McCathern, PLLC said in a statement Tuesday night, according to the New York Post. 

Reggie Bush of the University of Southern California celebrates his touchdown against the University of Texas at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

“Specifically, on July 28, 2021, the NCAA… falsely issued a statement to reporters that because of Mr. Bush’s prior involvement in a ‘pay-for-play arrangement,’ the NCAA would not consider restoring his collegiate records that it vacated in 2010, which subsequently resulted in Mr. Bush having to return his Heisman Trophy [the first player in history to do so].

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“Within less than a day, this false statement was republished by no less than 20 different media organizations and circulated to readers around the world.”

The statement in question came from the NCAA in 2021 in response to an inquiry regarding whether Bush’s records and participation would be restored after changes to name, image and likeness (NIL) rules. 

Fox “Big Noon Kickoff” analyst Reggie Bush prior to a college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and Indiana Hoosiers on Oct. 8, 2022, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. (James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bush will reportedly speak at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. 

“The NCAA’s statement is completely false and highly offensive,” the McCathern statement continued. “The NCAA knew Mr. Bush was never even accused of, involved in, much less sanctioned for any ‘pay-for-play arrangement,’ which never occurred.”

Bush, the winner of the 2005 Heisman Trophy, forfeited the trophy in 2010. 

Reggie Bush, University of Southern California tailback, holds the Heisman Trophy during the award presentation at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City on Dec. 10, 2005. (Michael Cohen/WireImage)

The decision to hand over the trophy came after the NCAA ruled he and his family received impermissible benefits while playing at USC.  Bush had his Heisman victory vacated and the games Bush played in at USC in 2005 were also vacated. 

Bush was a record-setting running back at USC under head coach Pete Carroll, now of the Seattle Seahawks, and went on to be selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. 

Bush had an 11-year NFL career, playing for the Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.