Joy for Reggie Bush! After 14 years, the former NFL running back gets his Heisman Trophy back. He was stripped of it in 2005 after receiving improper benefits

In college, Reggie Bush was an absolute superstar. With the USC Trojans, the running back averaged an impressive 8.7 yards per run. The icing on the cake: The 2005 season.

A whopping 2,890 total yards (rushing, receiving and return) made him the best player of the season with 784 votes. Bush won the coveted Heisman Trophy.

In 2010, he was stripped of it in the wake of significant NCAA sanctions against USC. Specifically, the sanctions related to impermissible benefits that Bush allegedly received during his college days. Since 2021, college players have been allowed to market their name, image and likeness independently and thus earn money. That was different in Bush’s day.

It is precisely this change that is now benefiting the now 39-year-old. “We are thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush back to the Heisman family in recognition of his accomplishments in college,” Michael Comerford, president of the Heisman Trophy Trust, which is responsible for the award, said in a statement.

“We have considered the tremendous changes in college sports in recent years and decided that now is the right time to return the trophy to Reggie. We are very excited to welcome him back,” the statement continued.

As part of the decision, the Heisman Trust will return the Heisman Trophy to Bush and a replica to USC. Bush will be invited back to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies beginning with the 2024 season.

“I am personally thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I am honored to return to the Heisman family,” Bush told “ESPN.” “I also look forward to working with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization,” Bush continued.

The incident did not hurt the start of his NFL career. The New Orleans Saints drafted Bush second overall in 2006. In his 134 career games, Bush ran for 5490 yards and 36 touchdowns. In addition to the Saints, he played for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills until the end of his career.