Reggie Bush, the former University of Southern California (USC) star running back and 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, is suing the school, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA over using his name, image and likeness (NIL) without compensation, according to his lawyers.
“This case is not just about seeking justice for Reggie Bush; it’s about setting a precedent for the fair treatment of all college athletes,” Bush’s attorney Evan Selik said in a statement.
“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’s legal team claims that the defendants “generated substantial profits for these organizations, all directly linked to Reggie Bush’s prominence” and continued to benefit financially from Bush after he left college for the NFL.
In a statement to CNN, USC said, “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.”
CNN has reached out to the NCAA for comment. The Pac-12 declined to comment.
“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,” another Bush attorney, Levi McCathern II, said in a statement.
In 2005, Bush won the Heisman, awarded annually to the most outstanding collegiate football player, when he rushed for 1,740 yards on 200 carries and scored 18 total touchdowns for USC.
In 2010, Bush voluntarily gave up the coveted award after an NCAA investigation found he received benefits of several thousand dollars and a vehicle that were not allowed at the time and he was ruled ineligible as of 2004.
College athletes can now receive compensation for NIL.
In April, the Heisman Memorial Trophy was returned to Bush after the Heisman Trust cited “enormous changes in college athletics.”
In May, the NCAA and the Power Five conferences agreed to a settlement paving the way to allow schools to pay student-athletes.
According to multiple reports citing unnamed sources, the agreement to settle three antitrust cases includes the payment of more than $2.7 billion in damages to past and current student-athletes.
However, US District Judge Claudia Wilken put the settlement on hold earlier this month after expressing concern about provisions of the deal.
“I’m concerned about the third-party NIL restrictions,” Wilken said. “I’m concerned (the settlement) will limit those opportunities for people moving forward.”
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