Judge hands Reggie Bush an important win in his case against the NCAA
Reggie Bush already has his Heisman Trophy back, but the former USC Trojans football star is still taking the NCAA to court for defamation, and he was recently given a significant win in that case.
A judge in Indiana denied the NCAA's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, meaning the case will go ahead in court. The Athletic first reported the decision.
"I'm glad the Court did the right thing here applying the relevant facts to the law so we can continue pursuing justice for Reggie and holding the NCAA accountable," said Levi McCathern, one of Bush's attorneys, in a statement.
The NCAA requested to dismiss the lawsuit in November by arguing that its statements about Bush were true and not made with malice, and claimed that Bush did not properly plead damages.
The suit, originally filed by Bush and his team last August, stems from an NCAA statement that went public in the summer of 2021 when ESPN posed the question of whether Bush's playing records should be reinstated given the new NIL policy in college football.
The NCAA responded by saying its "rules still do not permit pay-for-play type arrangements. The NCAA infractions process exists to promote fairness in college sports. The rules that govern fair play are voted on, agreed to, and expected to be upheld by all NCAA member schools."
Bush's attorneys responded in a complaint filed in Marion Superior Court (Ind.), nearby the NCAA's office in Indianapolis, saying the statement is "completely false and highly offensive."
The suit also alleges that the NCAA made those comments "knowing it was false or with reckless disregard of its veracity" and that it was made "with willful and wanton intent."
Bush returned his Heisman back in 2010 after an NCAA investigation ruled the former Trojans star and his family accepted improper benefits when he was playing at USC. He also had to disassociate himself from the school for 10 years.
Last month, The Heisman Trust announced it would reinstate the Trophy to Bush, who won college football's highest individual honor for his play in the 2005 season with USC, when he ran for 1,740 yards and rushed for 16 touchdowns.
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JAMES PARKS
James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.