Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and co-counsel Levi G. McCathern and Ty M. Sheaks of McCathern, PLLC, with additional counsel from Andrew W. Hull of Hoover Hull Turner, LLP filed a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA on behalf of Reggie Bush for stating he took part in a “pay-for-play arrangement” during his days with the University of Southern California Trojans.
The NCAA’s unjust actions have tarnished his legacy again and again. It’s time for us to act.
Here’s the timeline concerning the dishonor that the NCAA brought on Reggie Bush’s career and legacy.
- December 2005: Reggie Bush wins the Heisman Trophy after a standout season with the University of Southern California (USC).
- April 2006: Reports start to circulate about potential NCAA violations involving Reggie Bush and his family, explicitly concerning benefits received from marketers.
- June 2010: The NCAA finds the University of Southern California football program guilty of significant violations related to Reggie Bush, specifically improper benefits given to Bush’s family by agents during his time at USC. Due to these findings, USC is subjected to multiple penalties, including a two-year bowl ban and the loss of scholarships.
- September 2010: Reggie Bush voluntarily forfeits his Heisman Trophy, making a public statement and noting that he would “continue to work through the disappointment and look forward to the opportunity to make amends.”
- August 2011: The Heisman Trophy Trust decides to leave the 2005 award vacated and does not name a new winner for that year.
- 2020-2021: With changes in the landscape of college sports, particularly related to athletes profiting from their likeness and image (NIL rights), there’s increased public sentiment in favor of reinstating Bush’s Heisman.
- July 2021: Reggie Bush publicly requests the return of his Heisman Trophy. He cites the NCAA’s recent changes to allow student-athletes to benefit from their name, image, and likeness.
However, the NCAA and the Heisman Trust responded by stating that the recent policy changes do not affect previous penalties or decisions, and thus, the 2005 Heisman remains vacated.
Reggie’s NFL career was one for the record books, but the NCAA’s flawed investigation stripped him of his collegiate records and Heisman trophy.
Not only did the NCAA refuse to correct this injustice, but it added insult to injury by defaming him publicly with baseless claims that he violated pay-for-play rules.
The NCAA told ESPN in 2021 that it would not reinstate Bush’s 2005 season record and would not give him back the Heisman Trophy, despite rule changes that year that allowed college athletes to get paid for their name, image and likeness.
“Although college athletes can now receive benefits from their names, images and likenesses through activities like endorsements and appearances, NCAA rules still do not permit pay-for-play type arrangements,” an NCAA spokesperson told ESPN at the time.
— ABC News
Join us in demanding a public apology and the lifting of sanctions to pave the way for the return of Reggie’s Heisman Trophy.
You can help right this wrong and celebrate Reggie’s achievements as they deserve to be celebrated by signing this petition right now, as so many others have done.
Sign now!
Thank you in advance for your support!
ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit www.bencrump.com.
ABOUT MCCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS, GRINKE
McCathern, PLLC (“McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans, Grinke”) is a full-service law firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas with additional offices in Houston, Frisco, and Los Angeles. Founded in 1998, the firm has built a reputation for having the experience and acumen of much larger law firms with the personal attention to client needs of a small firm. McCathern handles a wide range of legal matters for a diverse client base, from small companies and high-net-worth individuals to Fortune 500 companies and high-profile organizations. McCathern Founding Partner Levi G. McCathern II is widely recognized as one of the premier litigation lawyers in Texas. Specializing in catastrophic damage litigation, he is frequently summoned to defend complex, high-damage claims, including all types of commercial litigation. Ty M. Sheaks, a Partner in the firm’s Frisco office, is a respected source of insight and information as a frequent speaker, author, and faculty legal advisor, and he is the go to “fixer” for many of McCathern’s most difficult and high-exposure matters.
ABOUT HOOVER HULL TURNER
Hoover Hull Turner LLP is a litigation boutique in downtown Indianapolis that offers uncommon depth and talent for its size. We are recognized by Chambers USA as one of only three Band 1 firms in the state for General Commercial Litigation, the only boutique firm with that recognition. Our clients retain us to represent them in their most sensitive, high-stakes disputes. Those clients include publicly traded companies across a variety of industries, municipalities across the state, individuals and businesses responding to government investigations, and Am Law-ranked firms defending against professional liability claims. Our approach ensures the same high-quality counsel and top-notch service across the firm, at all levels and for every case. For more information, visit hooverhullturner.com.
