Reggie Bush's Defamation Lawsuit vs. NCAA Still Ongoing After Heisman Trophy Returned

Former USC star Reggie Bush isn't halting his litigation against the NCAA after the Heisman Trust reinstated him as the official winner of the 2005 Heisman Trophy.

Bush filed a defamation suit against the NCAA because the organization had once said he was wrapped up in a "pay-for-play" situation while with the Trojans. He and his legal team made it clear they are still pursuing the lawsuit:

Bush explained the defamation suit was "more of being labeled a cheater," via the Associated Press.

"The trophy ... being taken away from me [was painful], but being labeled a cheater was far worse, because I've never cheated, and there's no proof of that, that I've cheated."

By and large, the decision to give Bush back his Heisman Trophy was celebrated by fans and people who follow college football. Whereas a player accepting improper benefits in 2005 was enough to warrant a major scandal and serious sanctions for their team, the dawn of the NIL era has totally shifted the paradigm.

Heisman Trust president Michael Comerford cited Wednesday "the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years" as one reason for the organization's reversal regarding the Trojans legend.

However, the Los Angeles Times' Bill Plaschke argued why returning the Heisman to Bush shouldn't equate to a form of absolution.

Maybe the NCAA rules against improper benefits were far too stringent, but they were the standards Bush and his peers had to abide by. He knowingly broke those rules, per the NCAA's investigation. Allowing athletes to now cash in on their name, image and likeness doesn't change that fact.

There's also the impact the sanctions levied against USC in the ensuing scandal had on the football program. More than a decade after the NCAA ruling came down, the Trojans are still chasing the heights they enjoyed during the Pete Carroll era.

Bush's situation isn't totally unlike Pete Rose's ongoing exile from baseball. While sports leagues including MLB have embraced sports betting with open arms, Rose committed a cardinal sin when he bet on baseball games.

Sportico's Michael McMann wrote Wednesday how Bush regaining his Heisman may not impact the NCAA's legal argument too much since the organization has nothing to do with the Heisman Trust.

"Expect the NCAA to argue at the hearing that the Trust returning the trophy is legally irrelevant to Bush's case," McCann said. "The Trust is a separate organization and a non-party whose decision about a trophy is unrelated to whether an NCAA's spokesperson's statement—which is what the case is about—was truthful and accurate."

Should his lawsuit continue on, Bush might learn how much—or how little—vindication Wednesday's announcement actually represented.