Sidney Wu

Only one Heisman Trophy winner recipient has had their trophy revoked.

Since 1935 the Heisman trophy has been awarded every year to the most outstanding D1 college football player. Some familiar recipient names are Jayden Daniel, Caleb Williams, Johnny Manziel and Marcus Mariota. 

Another famous name is Reggie Bush, former USC running back, who was named the 2005 Heisman winner. However, his title didn’t last long because in 2006 his trophy was revoked after the NCAA found out Bush and his family used his name and likeness to receive money, travel expenses and a rent-free house. Bush’s actions at the time were a clear violation of NCAA’s rule and immediately USC disassociated from their beloved running back. However, Bush denied any wrongdoing. 

Despite the controversy, Bush was drafted to the New Orleans Saints in 2006, where he later won the Superbowl in 2010. Bush retired from the NFL in 2017 and now works as a commentator for Fox Sports. 

Since Bush’s trophy was revoked, athletes like Johnny Manziel have publicly spoken about supporting Bush and vouching for Bush to get his Heisman back. Manziel won the Heisman trophy in 2012 for his accomplishments as a quarterback at Texas A&M. 

Further, Manziel tweeted in March of 2024, “After careful thought and consideration I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman trophy ceremony until @ReggieBush gets his trophy back. Doesn’t sit right with my morals and values that he can’t be on that stage with us every year. Reggie IS the Heisman trophy. Do the RIGHT thing @NCAA the ball is in your court.” 

Bush’s case is interesting to look at now, given the NIL landscape today. In 2006 Bush was greatly reprimanded for earning money from his name and likeness. However, on June 30, 2021, the NCAA ruled that all student-athletes could earn money from the use of their name, image and likeness. Flash forward to 2024, and student-athletes like Bronny James make 3.7 million dollars solely off NIL deals. The 2024 top 10 highest-paid college athletes all make over one million dollars through NIL deals before they have even turned 25 years old. In today’s day, brands are not afraid to offer collegiate athletes a deal. One of the most extravagant NIL deals made recently was with Ole Miss’s quarterback, Jaxon Dart. Recently, Dart made history as the first-ever college athlete to sign a deal with a private jet company. 

In 2021, Bush began petitioning for his Heisman trophy to be returned. He released a statement saying, “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.”

Three years later, on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024, the Hesiman Trust announced they will reinstate Bush’s Heisman trophy because of, “the enormous changes in the college football landscape.” Following, Bush returned his trophy and the replica was sent back to USC. 
In response, Bush said in a statement to ESPN, “Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family,” he added, “I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”