Ex-Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel vows to boycott the Heisman ceremony until Reggie Bush gets his trophy back

Johnny Manziel won his trophy in 2010, while Reggie Bush won his in 2005.

Ex-Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel vows to boycott the Heisman ceremony until Reggie Bush gets his trophy back

(L) Johnny Manziel and (R) Reggie Bush with their Heisman Trophy (Image via IMAGO)

Johnny Manziel is single-handedly campaigning for Reggie Bush to get his Heisman trophy back. As a formal protest, the former Texas A&M quarterback and Heisman winner announced that he would boycott the upcoming Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Each year, the best player in college football is awarded the Heisman to commemorate their performance. The CFP committee organizes a ceremony where past winners of the trophy gather to increase the importance of the event. 

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However, one past winner is no longer allowed to attend. Former NFL running back Reggie Bush won the famous trophy back in 2005. But he had to return the silverware to the Heisman Trust in 2010 after the NCAA discovered that he violated the rules of receiving gifts from an agent while he was still starting at USC.

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Manziel came in support of Bush with a fiery post on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote,

After careful thought and consideration, I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman Trophy ceremony until @ReggieBush gets his trophy back. [It] 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.

This wasn’t the first time Johnny Manziel came in support of Reggie Bush to get his Heisman Trophy back

Although Manziel hasn’t been the best role model for many, he has always stuck by his demand for the NCAA to return Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy. Prior to Saturday’s tweet, he had previously spoken out in favor of the 39-year-old.

Reggie Bush is interviewed during the Super Bowl LIII NFL Network Talent press conference PK Pressekonferenz on January 30, 2019
Reggie Bush is interviewed during the Super Bowl LIII NFL Network Talent press conference PK Pressekonferenz on January 30, 2019 (Image via IMAGO)

Bush was a member of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame. In August of that year, he wrote on X,

There is nothing I want to see more than for Reggie to get his Heisman back. I think what the NCAA did in that situation was complete bullsh*t. He is one of the best college football players in history and deserves to be on that stage with us every year. The only difference between my story and Reggie’s is that my "illegal activities" did not start until after my Heisman season.
Screengrab Johnny Manziel X

ABC News reported that Bush was an inspiration for Manziel.

Reggie’s play on the field inspired me to be the football player I am.

The ball isn’t exactly in the NCAA’s court, as the Heisman Trust is not associated with the NCAA. They could easily return the trophy to Bush. But that hasn’t been the case so far.

Since Bush’s Heisman debacle, only three non-quarterbacks have won the trophy. Mark Ingram (2009), Derrick Henry (2015), and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (2020)

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