Johnny Manziel backs Reggie Bush, will skip Heisman honors - ESPN

Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, said Saturday that he will not attend the annual Heisman Trophy ceremony until the NCAA returns former USC running back Reggie Bush's trophy, which was stripped from him following NCAA sanctions.

«After careful thought and consideration I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman trophy ceremony until @ReggieBush gets his trophy back,» Manziel posted on X. «Doesn't sit right with my morals and values that he can't be on that stage with us every year. Reggie IS the Heisman trophy. Do the RIGHT thing @NCAA the ball is in your court.»

Bush and USC each returned their copies of his 2005 Heisman Trophy after a four-year NCAA investigation determined that during his Trojans career, Bush and his family accepted cash, travel expenses and a home in the San Diego area where Bush's parents lived rent-free for more than a year and for which they were provided $10,000 to furnish from agents hoping to sign the star.

Bush's NCAA sanctions were delivered in 2010, and they mandated that Bush disassociate from USC and included a two-year postseason ban for the school, 14 vacated victories (including the 2004 BCS national championship) and the loss of 30 scholarships. His 10-year disassociation period ended in June 2020.

In July 2021, on the day name, image and likeness (NIL) rights were granted to athletes by the NCAA, allowing them to profit in the same way Bush did, he released a statement requesting his Heisman and NCAA statistics be reinstated.

«It is my strong belief that I won the Heisman trophy 'solely' due to my hard work and dedication on the football field and it is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated,» Bush said.

The Heisman Trust said shortly thereafter