Johnny Manziel has become the most vocal member of the Heisman Trophy fraternity to push for Reggie Bush to get his 2005 trophy back, saying last week that he plans on boycotting the annual Heisman ceremony until Bush is allowed to stand on stage there with him.
Bush was stripped of his Heisman after an NCAA investigation determined his family had illegally received gifts while he was starring for USC, the type of infraction that is now legal in the current era of name, image and likeness compensation in college sports.
But Manziel, who won the Heisman in 2012, is far from alone in supporting Bush’s crusade to get his Heisman restored, as 1995 Heisman winner Eddie George is also on board.
In fact, George has signed a petition calling for the award to be returned to Bush, explaining his reasoning to FOX Sports’ Keyshawn Johnson on the latest episode of Johnson’s podcast, “All Facts, No Brakes.”
“In college sports, NIL is above board now,” George said. “[Athletes getting compensated] is something that happened way before Reggie, during Reggie’s time, and now that it’s deemed as legal, I think it’s time to give him his Heisman Trophy back.
George knows how the college sports landscape has shifted, as he currently serves as the head football coach at Tennessee State University, an FCS-level program at a historically Black university.
“We’re in a different day and age now,” George said. “For Reggie, he can make so much more money now as a Heisman Trophy winner after his playing days than he would have during the time that he actually won it. So I’m definitely for it and I think he should be recognized as a Heisman Trophy winner, because he definitely deserved it on the field.”
To emphasize his point, George needled Johnson about one of the first times they interacted at an event for 1995 college football All-Americans in Los Angeles, where Johnson was a receiver at USC at the time.
“The rest of us are coming in on a bus,” George said, “And Keyshawn drives up in a…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/eddie-george-backs-johnny-manziels-efforts-to-help-reggie-bush-get-his-heisman-back
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Publish date : 2024-03-07 22:49:13
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