Reggie Bush sues USC, Pac-12, NCAA over NIL usage

The latest NIL legal case comes from Reggie Bush against USC and others, as the former Trojans star also has an ongoing case against the NCAA.

Reggie Bush is taking USC, the Pac-12, and the NCAA to court. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former USC running back Reggie Bush has filed a lawsuit against Southern Cal, the Pac-12, and the NCAA seeking compensation for his name, image, and likeness when he was a star football player for the Trojans in the mid-2000s, his lawyers said.

Bush’s attorneys said the case “aims 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.”

In the filing, Bush’s lawyers contend that all three entities profited significantly from television contracts, merchandise sales, and media rights using Bush’s success as a football player, for which he was not compensated, owing to NCAA rules at the time.

“This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush”, Evan Selik, a lawyer representing Bush, said in a statement. “It’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes.”

He added: “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 emerged as one of the most productive and recognizable stars in not just college football, but all American sports, during his collegiate career in the early and mid-2000s.

He won the Heisman Trophy in 2005, when he ran for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Bush and USC quarterback Matt Leinart became the first active teammates in college football to both win the Heisman Trophy since Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis on the legendary Army team in the 1940s.

But Bush returned his Heisman in 2010 amid reports the Heisman Trust would strip the honor after an NCAA investigation ruled the former Trojans star and his family accepted impermissible benefits when he was playing at USC.

Then, earlier this year, the Heisman Trust restored the Heisman to Bush and USC reacted by adding his No. 5 jersey back to the banner at the Coliseum, a tradition for Trojan players who win the Heisman.

“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, however, the delay in fixing this speaks volumes,” Levi G. McCathern II, another lawyer representing Bush, said in a statement.

Bush’s new case is the latest legal action taken by former players in the years since NIL has become a reality, culminating in the landmark House vs. NCAA case that is expected to forever change the relationship between schools and student-athletes.

It’s expected the decision in that case could pave the way for direct revenue sharing with players that would effectively destroy the amateurism model that has been in place since the 19th century.

While that process works itself out, Bush hopes to correct what he feels is an unaddressed wrong.

Bush also has a separate lawsuit ongoing against the NCAA for defamation after a spokesman claimed that the former USC star was involved in a pay-for-play arrangement.

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