Reggie Bush
Encyclopedia
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II (born March 2, 1985) is an American football
running back
for the Miami Dolphins
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at the University of Southern California in 2003–2005.
Bush won multiple collegiate awards, including the 2005 Heisman Trophy
, but allegations that he received improper benefits were central to a controversy surrounding the USC program that led to severe NCAA sanctions against USC, including a two-year postseason ban, the loss of football scholarships and the vacating of wins in the 2004–05 championship season. On September 14, 2010, Bush voluntarily gave up his Heisman Trophy.
With the Saints, Bush won a Super Bowl title
in 2010.
out of Helix High School
in La Mesa, California
. When head coach Pete Carroll
recruited Bush for USC, he envisioned using Bush as a five-way threat. The freshman quickly proved effective in carrying, catching, throwing and returning the ball. Bush was a consensus First-team Freshman All-American selection in 2003, and became the first Trojan since Anthony Davis in 1974 to lead the Pac-10 in kickoff returns. His 1,331 all-purpose yards set a USC freshman record. The ESPN Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year also amassed 521 yards rushing that year, with three touchdowns on 90 carries.
In 2004, Bush finished fifth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
and was named the team's MVP. He earned consensus All-American
honors and was a finalist for the Walter Camp
Player of the Year Award. He finished second on the team with 143 carries for 908 yards (6.3 avg) and six touchdowns, adding 509 yards and seven scores on 43 receptions (11.8 avg). Bush returned 21 kickoffs for 537 yards (25.6 avg) and 24 punts for 376 yards (15.7 avg) and a pair of touchdowns. He became the first Trojan since Marcus Allen
to lead the Pac-10 in all-purpose yardage, totaling 2,330 yards. He also threw for one touchdown, tossing a 52-yard scoring strike.
In 2005 Bush was a unanimous First-team All-American
and winner of the Heisman Trophy. He was also named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, the Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.
Offensive Player of the Year, and the Touchdown Club of Columbus
(Ohio) Player of the Year. In addition to the Walter Camp Award
, Bush also won the Doak Walker Award
, which is given to the nation's best running back. He led the nation with an average of 222.3 all-purpose yards per game and finished fourth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks with an average of 133.85 rushing yards per game. He set the Pac-10 record for total yards from scrimmage with 513 (294 rushing, 68 receiving, 151 return) in a game against the Fresno State Bulldogs
on November 19, 2005. Bush also became known for the "Bush Push," which occurred on a game-winning score against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Bush led the Trojans with 1,740 yards on 200 carries (8.7 avg) with sixteen touchdowns and ranked third on the squad with 39 receptions for 481 yards (12.9 avg), including a pair of scores as a junior. He returned 18 punts for 179 yards (9.9 avg) and a touchdown, and gained 493 yards on 28 kickoff returns (17.6 avg).
Bush started only fourteen times in 39 games at USC. However, he finished tenth in NCAA Division I-A history with 6,541 all-purpose yards, racking up 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns on 433 carries (7.3 avg) and 1,301 yards with thirteen scores on 95 catches (13.7 avg). Bush returned 67 kickoffs for 1,522 yards and a touchdown, adding 559 yards and three scores on 44 punt returns (12.7 avg). He also completed one of three pass attempts for a 52-yard touchdown.
Longhorns quarterback Vince Young
finished second with 79 first-place votes, an overall edge in voting points of 2,541 to Young's 1,608. Teammate Matt Leinart
came in third with 18 first-place votes. Bush had the second most first-place votes and the second-highest total points in the history of Heisman voting at that time, behind only O.J. Simpson's 855 in 1968. Bush became the 71st winner of the Heisman Trophy, and the seventh USC player to receive the award. In addition to his Heisman Trophy, Bush also won the Doak Walker Award
and Walter Camp Award
, and was selected as the Pac-10's offensive player of the year.
On January 4, 2006, Bush and Leinart became the first pair of Heisman Trophy winners to play together in a single game, against the Longhorns in the Rose Bowl
. Bush amassed a total of 279 all-purpose yards (82 rushing yards, 95 receiving yards, 102 kickoff return yards) and one touchdown, but he was overshadowed in a losing effort by Heisman runner-up Vince Young and Bush's teammate LenDale White
, who led USC in rushing with 123 yards and three touchdowns. Bush also attempted to lateral
when he was tackled after a long run, but the lateral fell to the ground and was recovered by the Longhorns This game gave Bush a total of 6,890 all-purpose yards for his college career.
Sports agent Lloyd Lake sued Bush and his family in November 2007 for not repaying over $290,000 in gifts. Lake also agreed to cooperate with the NCAA. In April 2009, the Los Angeles Times
reported that the NCAA had merged its investigations of Bush and former USC basketball player O. J. Mayo
into a single probe of the Trojans athletic programs. On December 28, 2009 it was announced that Bush had lost his bid for confidential arbitration in this matter and that the case would proceed to trial. The case was settled in April 2010.
On June 10, 2010, the NCAA announced major sanctions against USC. The NCAA found that Bush had received lavish gifts from Lake and his partner, Michael Michaels, from at least December 2004 onward, including a limousine ride to the 2005 Heisman Trophy presentation. As a result, USC was given four years of probation and forced to vacate its last two wins of the 2004 season – including the 2005 Orange Bowl
– as well as all of its wins in the 2005 season. The Trojans were also banned from bowl games in 2010 and 2011 and will lose 30 scholarships over three years. Running backs coach Todd McNair
was banned from off-campus recruiting for one year after the NCAA determined he had known about Bush's dealings with the agents. The NCAA also forced USC to permanently disassociate itself from Bush.
The NCAA found that, given Bush's high-profile status, USC should have invested more effort in monitoring Bush's relationships. In announcing the penalties, NCAA infractions committee chairman Paul Dee
said, "High-profile players merit high-profile enforcement."
On July 20, incoming USC president Max Nikias
stated that the school would remove from its facilities all jerseys and murals displayed in Bush's honor, and would return the school's copy of Bush's Heisman Trophy. On August 12, USA Today
reported that Bush had called USC's new athletic director, Pat Haden
, and apologized for making poor decisions that led to the NCAA sanctions. However, in a subsequent report in the Los Angeles Times
, Haden said that the characterization of Bush's call as an "apology" was incorrect; Haden described it as "a conversation of him being contrite, but not an apology", and he also noted that Bush had not admitted to any specific wrongful acts.
The Heisman Trophy Trust
conducted its own investigation of Bush's case in the summer of 2010. On September 7, the Trust's spokesman Rob Whalen denied published reports that they planned to strip the award from Bush. This would have been the first time that a Heisman Trophy had been revoked. On September 14, Bush stated he would voluntarily forfeit his award and sent the trophy back to the Heisman Trust, which then vacated the award. However, to date, neither Bush nor his family have returned his 2005 Heisman Trophy. The San Diego Hall of Champions sports museum has since given the copy of the award it had in its possession back to Bush's parents.
. Draft analysts predicted that he would be the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft
, held by the Houston Texans
. However, in a surprising move on the night before the draft, the Texans signed Mario Williams
, a defensive end
from North Carolina State University
, meaning that Bush would not be the first draft pick. Bush's representatives spoke that night with the New Orleans Saints
, who said they intended to use their second overall pick to select Bush.
Bush was indeed drafted by the Saints with the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans' decision to not take Bush was derided by many sports analysts. At the time, ESPN commentator Len Pasquarelli
claimed that Houston selecting Williams ahead of Bush was one of the biggest mistakes made in NFL Draft history.
On April 26, 2006, three days prior to the draft, Bush had signed a multi-year endorsement with Adidas
to promote football and training clothes, and help the athletic sportswear company launch cleats in 2007.
reported receiving over 15,000 orders for Bush's Saints jersey, even though his jersey number with the Saints had not yet been determined. Bush had petitioned the NFL to wear the number 5, which he has worn throughout his high school and college careers. However, in order for him to wear that number, the NFL would have to revise its numbering regulations, which require running backs to wear a number between 20 and 49. Bush was allowed to wear the number 5 during the Saints' minicamp practices pending the NFL's ruling. On May 23, 2006, the NFL competition committee officially rejected his request, and on May 25 it was officially announced that Bush would be wearing number 25, acquired from Saints running back Fred McAfee
. Although Bush had earlier pledged to donate a quarter of the money he received from jersey sales to Hurricane Katrina
victims if allowed to wear the number 5, he later said he would make that donation no matter what number he wears. As part of the deal with McAfee to wear the number 25, Bush agreed to allocate half of that money to charities of McAfee's choosing, with the other half going to charities of Bush's choosing. McAfee pledged to donate his share to Katrina victims in his home state of Mississippi
.
Bush is second to Peyton Manning
in NFL endorsement deals, amounting to roughly $5 million annually. He has signed contracts with Pepsi
, General Motors
, Adidas
, Pizza Hut
and the Subway
restaurant chain.
Amazed by the warm reception he received from the fans in New Orleans as well as the magnitude of the devastation caused there by Hurricane Katrina, Bush expressed excitement about playing with the Saints and pledged to help the city recover from the hurricane. On May 15, 2006, Bush donated $50,000 to help keep Holy Rosary High School, a Catholic school for students with learning disabilities, from closing. During training camp, Saints receiver Joe Horn
dubbed him "Baby Matrix" because of his seemingly impossible evasive maneuvers (apparently comparing him to the movie The Matrix
, which features characters who move faster than humanly possible to dodge bullets).
Bush's rookie season had both ups and downs, although as the season wore on he became more productive and integral to the Saints' surprising success. In the first game of Bush's NFL career, he amassed 141 total yards against the Cleveland Browns
. He carried the ball fewer times than his counterpart Deuce McAllister
, putting off any speculation that he would immediately supplant McAllister as the starter in New Orleans. The Saints won the game by a score of 19–14. This effort lowered his league-worst rushing average among running backs to only 2.55 yards per carry. However, he finished the midway point of the season with 46 receptions, the most by any running back in the league.
At the midway point of the season, Bush had yet to score a touchdown either receiving or running the ball; however, on November 12, 2006, Bush rushed for his first touchdown from scrimmage
on a reverse against the Pittsburgh Steelers
. On December 3, Bush tied the Saints' single-game touchdown record, held by Joe Horn, by scoring four touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers
. He gained 168 all-purpose yards as he sparked the Saints to their eighth win of the season. On December 10, Bush scored a 62-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys
in Dallas, contributing to the Saints' 42–17 drubbing of the Cowboys in what was expected to be a more competitive matchup that would be important to the playoff race. On December 24, Bush scored a one-yard touchdown on a reverse against the New York Giants
. Bush also had a career-high 126 rushing yards on the day. On December 31, Bush scored a one-yard touchdown against the Carolina Panthers
but carried the ball only three times, even though backfield counterpart Deuce McAllister did not play. This was because the New Orleans Saints had already clinched the #2 NFC seed in the playoffs.
In the NFC Divisional Playoff game on January 13, 2007, Bush ran for 52 yards on 12 carries and scored a touchdown, and added three catches for 22 yards, as New Orleans edged the Philadelphia Eagles
27–24 to earn its first NFC Championship Game appearance in the team's 40-year history. The game was also notable for the vicious hit that Bush absorbed from Sheldon Brown
while attempting to catch a swing pass on the Saints' first play of the game. On January 21, in the NFC Championship playoff game, Bush caught a pass on the 22 and ran 78 yards downfield (eluding the Chicago Bears
safety) for an 88-yard touchdown thrown by Drew Brees
. This comeback was the first score of the second half and closed the gap from 16–7 (in favor of Chicago) to 16–14. That was the last time, however, the Saints would score. The Bears went on to trounce the Saints 39–14 to earn a berth to the Super Bowl.
Bush was fined by the NFL after the game for $5,000 for taunting: which consisted of wagging his finger at All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher
and doing a somersault after the 88-yard reception score. Bush apologized immediately after the event.
, Bush and the Saints lost to the defending Super Bowl
champion Indianapolis Colts
41–10. Bush was tied for a team-best 38 rushing yards on 12 carries. He also had seven yards on four receptions and a punt return for two yards in a disappointing opener for him and the Saints. Their next game was equally as disappointing, as the Saints were beaten 31–14 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and Bush averaged 2.7 yards per carry and 27 yards from scrimmage – over a third of which came on one play. Bush scored two rushing touchdowns, both one-yard runs, in the Saints' Week 3 loss to the Tennessee Titans
. In that game, Bush carried seven times for 15 yards while catching six passes for 20 yards. Bush finished the season with six total touchdowns and 581 yards rushing, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. Bush missed the final four games of the 2007 season with a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
to open the 2008 season. With Deuce McAllister out due to injury, Bush started the game. He showed great improvement early in the season, particularly during Week 3 against the Denver Broncos
, in which he had 18 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns, one touchdown that included a run up the middle, cutting back to the outside for 23 yards. He added a second touchdown on a six-yard swing pass from Drew Brees near the goal line. Bush ended the game with 11 receptions for 75 yards and one receiving touchdown. Since he came into the league, no running back has caught more passes out of the backfield than Bush, who collected 171 receptions in his first two years. On October 6, in a home game against the Minnesota Vikings
, he returned two punts for touchdowns and nearly had a third, tying an NFL record for single-game punt returns for touchdowns and becoming the 12th player to do so. In a home game against the Oakland Raiders on October 12, Bush tied the NFL record for fastest time to his 200th catch, doing so in only 34 games.
Bush was injured in the October 19 game against the Carolina Panthers. He had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee the next day and was expected to miss the next three to four games. Bush returned on November 30 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and registered three carries for no yards and five catches for 32 yards in a 23–20 Saints loss. However, one week later he was back on track, producing over 100 yards from scrimmage and a TD catch in an important 29–25 home win against the division rival Atlanta Falcons
to keep the Saints' slim playoff hopes alive.
On December 11, Bush sprained his medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the Saints' 27–24 overtime loss in Chicago. Although diagnosed as a sprain, given that it was the same knee he had surgery on earlier in the year – and that the Saints were now out of the playoff picture with only two games left in the 2008 season – Bush was placed on injured reserve, ending his season early for the second year in a row. He finished the season with 404 rushing yards on 106 carries, 440 yards receiving with 52 receptions and nine total touchdowns, playing in ten games. On January 7, 2009, the New Orleans Saints confirmed that Bush had surgery on his left knee, and would require months of rehabilitation. However, Bush was expected to be ready for minicamp in June.
Bush missed games 11 and 12 of the regular season due to soreness in his surgically repaired knee. He also missed most of game 15 due to a minor hamstring injury.
Bush experienced career lows in every major category for the 2009 season. While he had 8 total touchdowns, good for 3rd on the team, Bush was used sparingly during the year. Bush ended the year playing in 14 games with 70 carries for 390 yards and 5 touchdowns, and 47 receptions for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns.
On January 16, 2010, in the NFC divisional playoff
game against the Arizona Cardinals
, Bush had one of the best games of his pro career. He rushed for 84 yards on only 5 carries, including a 46-yard touchdown run. This play was the longest run by a New Orleans Saints player in the postseason. He also added an 83-yard punt return touchdown late in the third quarter, the Saints' last score in their 45–14 win.
In the NFC Championship Game
against the Minnesota Vikings on January 24, Bush had only 8 yards rushing on 7 carries with 2 receptions for 33 yards, and he fumbled a punt return. However, one of his receptions was a late touchdown that helped the Saints win their first NFC championship and their first Super Bowl
appearance and eventual victory in franchise history.
On February 7, 2010, Bush won his first Super Bowl
with a 31–17 win over the Indianapolis Colts
in Miami.
contest with the San Francisco 49ers
, he was injured while returning a punt. He did not return to the game. The injury was diagnosed as a broken bone in his right leg and he was expected to miss at least six weeks. He returned on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys.
for reserve safety Jonathon Amaya
and an exchange of undisclosed draft picks. During the Dolphins' first win of the 2011 season against the Kansas City Chiefs, Bush scored his first rushing touchdown since 2009.
Bush also had his second career 100 yard game against the New York Giants having 15 rushes with 103 yards
announced on November 21, 2006 that it had signed Bush as its cover athlete for Reggie Bush Pro Football 2007, which was made available in January 2007 across multiple wireless carriers and cell phones. This marked the second cover endorsement for Bush, who was the cover athlete of Electronic Arts' NCAA Football 07
. Gameloft did not secure the NFL license for this mobile game, which means that actual team names, logos and NFLPA players (aside from Bush) were not incorporated into the gameplay. In 2007, he appeared in Ciara
's music video "Like a Boy
".
On June 26, 2007, David Beckham
's first major U.S. TV ad campaign since finishing with Real Madrid
made its debut via the web. Titled "Futbol Meets Football", it paired Beckham with Bush in a 13-part video series, with additional television, radio and online promotion by Adidas
.
In August 2007, he signed a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio
to be a weekly announcer for the 2007 season.
At one time Bush dated WWE Diva
Eve Torres
while at USC. Bush then dated Kim Kardashian
. Their relationship began after being introduced by Matt Leinart
at the 2007 ESPY Awards
. They split on July 27, 2009 and got back together on September 28, 2009. They split again in late March 2010.
Bush was nominated for Male Athlete of the Year
at the 2007 and 2009 BET Awards
.
Bush was featured almost shirtless on the February 2010 cover of Essence as part of an issue about "Black Men, Love & Relationships." However, this appearance generated controversy as some among the magazine's readers took offense to Bush on the cover of such an issue, at the time he was involved with Kim Kardashian
(who is not black) and Bush was accused of only dating non-black women.
Also in 2010, Bush's fundraising work for organizations that benefit Haiti and diamond-producing countries in Africa earned him a nomination for the VH1
Do Something Awards. Specifically, Bush worked on behalf of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, visiting Botswana and South Africa and raising money for education there. He is a founding member of the Fund's Athletes for Africa program. The awards show, produced by VH1
, is dedicated to honoring people who do good and is powered by Do Something
, an organization that aims to empower, celebrate, and inspire young people.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Southern California in 2003–2005.
Bush won multiple collegiate awards, including the 2005 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, but allegations that he received improper benefits were central to a controversy surrounding the USC program that led to severe NCAA sanctions against USC, including a two-year postseason ban, the loss of football scholarships and the vacating of wins in the 2004–05 championship season. On September 14, 2010, Bush voluntarily gave up his Heisman Trophy.
With the Saints, Bush won a Super Bowl title
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
in 2010.
College career
Before attending USC, Bush was a running backRunning back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
out of Helix High School
Helix High School
Helix High School, in La Mesa, California, is a charter high school built in 1952. It received its charter in 1998. Part of the Grossmont Union High School District, it serves a low to mid-level socioeconomic community and has a student body of approximately 2,400 pupils...
in La Mesa, California
La Mesa, California
La Mesa is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 57,065 at the 2010 census, up from 54,749 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1869 and officially incorporated as a city on February 16, 1912. Its official flower is the bougainvillea....
. When head coach Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
recruited Bush for USC, he envisioned using Bush as a five-way threat. The freshman quickly proved effective in carrying, catching, throwing and returning the ball. Bush was a consensus First-team Freshman All-American selection in 2003, and became the first Trojan since Anthony Davis in 1974 to lead the Pac-10 in kickoff returns. His 1,331 all-purpose yards set a USC freshman record. The ESPN Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year also amassed 521 yards rushing that year, with three touchdowns on 90 carries.
In 2004, Bush finished fifth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
and was named the team's MVP. He earned consensus All-American
2004 College Football All-America Team
The 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
honors and was a finalist for the Walter Camp
Walter Camp
Walter Chauncey Camp was an American football player, coach, and sports writer known as the "Father of American Football". With John Heisman, Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pop Warner, Fielding H. Yost, and George Halas, Camp was one of the most accomplished persons in the early history of American football...
Player of the Year Award. He finished second on the team with 143 carries for 908 yards (6.3 avg) and six touchdowns, adding 509 yards and seven scores on 43 receptions (11.8 avg). Bush returned 21 kickoffs for 537 yards (25.6 avg) and 24 punts for 376 yards (15.7 avg) and a pair of touchdowns. He became the first Trojan since Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
to lead the Pac-10 in all-purpose yardage, totaling 2,330 yards. He also threw for one touchdown, tossing a 52-yard scoring strike.
In 2005 Bush was a unanimous First-team All-American
2005 College Football All-America Team
The 2005 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
and winner of the Heisman Trophy. He was also named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, the Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.
The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.
The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., Inc. was founded in 1938 with the goals of "improving relationship between persons interested in the game of football; that there may be given encouragement for good, clean sport; that there may be a more perfect understanding among such persons; and, that...
Offensive Player of the Year, and the Touchdown Club of Columbus
Touchdown Club of Columbus
The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of State Auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More than a decade later, his son Sam Nicola, Jr...
(Ohio) Player of the Year. In addition to the Walter Camp Award
Walter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
, Bush also won the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
, which is given to the nation's best running back. He led the nation with an average of 222.3 all-purpose yards per game and finished fourth in the NCAA Division I-A ranks with an average of 133.85 rushing yards per game. He set the Pac-10 record for total yards from scrimmage with 513 (294 rushing, 68 receiving, 151 return) in a game against the Fresno State Bulldogs
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
on November 19, 2005. Bush also became known for the "Bush Push," which occurred on a game-winning score against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Bush led the Trojans with 1,740 yards on 200 carries (8.7 avg) with sixteen touchdowns and ranked third on the squad with 39 receptions for 481 yards (12.9 avg), including a pair of scores as a junior. He returned 18 punts for 179 yards (9.9 avg) and a touchdown, and gained 493 yards on 28 kickoff returns (17.6 avg).
Bush started only fourteen times in 39 games at USC. However, he finished tenth in NCAA Division I-A history with 6,541 all-purpose yards, racking up 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns on 433 carries (7.3 avg) and 1,301 yards with thirteen scores on 95 catches (13.7 avg). Bush returned 67 kickoffs for 1,522 yards and a touchdown, adding 559 yards and three scores on 44 punt returns (12.7 avg). He also completed one of three pass attempts for a 52-yard touchdown.
Legacy
By the end of the 2005 season, Bush had amassed 2,611 all-purpose yards and scored 18 touchdowns (15 rushing, 2 receiving, 1 punt return). He was awarded the Heisman Trophy on December 10, 2005. He had 784 first-place votes while University of TexasUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
Longhorns quarterback Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
finished second with 79 first-place votes, an overall edge in voting points of 2,541 to Young's 1,608. Teammate Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
came in third with 18 first-place votes. Bush had the second most first-place votes and the second-highest total points in the history of Heisman voting at that time, behind only O.J. Simpson's 855 in 1968. Bush became the 71st winner of the Heisman Trophy, and the seventh USC player to receive the award. In addition to his Heisman Trophy, Bush also won the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
and Walter Camp Award
Walter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
, and was selected as the Pac-10's offensive player of the year.
On January 4, 2006, Bush and Leinart became the first pair of Heisman Trophy winners to play together in a single game, against the Longhorns in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. Bush amassed a total of 279 all-purpose yards (82 rushing yards, 95 receiving yards, 102 kickoff return yards) and one touchdown, but he was overshadowed in a losing effort by Heisman runner-up Vince Young and Bush's teammate LenDale White
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California....
, who led USC in rushing with 123 yards and three touchdowns. Bush also attempted to lateral
Lateral pass
In American football, a lateral pass or lateral, officially backward pass , occurs when the ball carrier throws the football to any teammate behind him or directly next to him...
when he was tackled after a long run, but the lateral fell to the ground and was recovered by the Longhorns This game gave Bush a total of 6,890 all-purpose yards for his college career.
NCAA investigation and lawsuits
Just before the 2006 draft, reports surfaced raising questions about whether Bush's family received gifts in violation of NCAA policies. The school requested that the conference investigate the matter, and Bush denied any impropriety.Sports agent Lloyd Lake sued Bush and his family in November 2007 for not repaying over $290,000 in gifts. Lake also agreed to cooperate with the NCAA. In April 2009, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported that the NCAA had merged its investigations of Bush and former USC basketball player O. J. Mayo
O. J. Mayo
Ovinton J'Anthony "O. J." Mayo , is an American basketball player currently playing with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. He signed with the team on July 8, 2008. He played college basketball for the University of Southern California...
into a single probe of the Trojans athletic programs. On December 28, 2009 it was announced that Bush had lost his bid for confidential arbitration in this matter and that the case would proceed to trial. The case was settled in April 2010.
On June 10, 2010, the NCAA announced major sanctions against USC. The NCAA found that Bush had received lavish gifts from Lake and his partner, Michael Michaels, from at least December 2004 onward, including a limousine ride to the 2005 Heisman Trophy presentation. As a result, USC was given four years of probation and forced to vacate its last two wins of the 2004 season – including the 2005 Orange Bowl
2005 Orange Bowl
The 2005 Orange Bowl represented the BCS National Championship Game of the 2004 season and was played on January 4, 2005 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida....
– as well as all of its wins in the 2005 season. The Trojans were also banned from bowl games in 2010 and 2011 and will lose 30 scholarships over three years. Running backs coach Todd McNair
Todd McNair
Todd Darren McNair is a former professional football player and coach. McNair was the running backs coach and special teams coordinator for the USC Trojans football team, where he was also a recruiter. McNair has received publicity related to NCAA sanctions imposed on the USC football team for his...
was banned from off-campus recruiting for one year after the NCAA determined he had known about Bush's dealings with the agents. The NCAA also forced USC to permanently disassociate itself from Bush.
The NCAA found that, given Bush's high-profile status, USC should have invested more effort in monitoring Bush's relationships. In announcing the penalties, NCAA infractions committee chairman Paul Dee
Paul Dee
Paul Dee is the former General Counsel and Athletic Director of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. He held the position of AD from 1993 until 2008, when he stepped down and Kirby Hocutt was tabbed as his replacement....
said, "High-profile players merit high-profile enforcement."
On July 20, incoming USC president Max Nikias
C. L. Max Nikias
Chrysostomos L. "Max" Nikias is the current President of the University of Southern California . His term as the 11th president of the university began on August 3, 2010.-Personal life and education:...
stated that the school would remove from its facilities all jerseys and murals displayed in Bush's honor, and would return the school's copy of Bush's Heisman Trophy. On August 12, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
reported that Bush had called USC's new athletic director, Pat Haden
Pat Haden
Patrick Capper "Pat" Haden is the athletic director at the University of Southern California. He played quarterback for the USC Trojans before playing professionally in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1976 to 1981...
, and apologized for making poor decisions that led to the NCAA sanctions. However, in a subsequent report in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Haden said that the characterization of Bush's call as an "apology" was incorrect; Haden described it as "a conversation of him being contrite, but not an apology", and he also noted that Bush had not admitted to any specific wrongful acts.
The Heisman Trophy Trust
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
conducted its own investigation of Bush's case in the summer of 2010. On September 7, the Trust's spokesman Rob Whalen denied published reports that they planned to strip the award from Bush. This would have been the first time that a Heisman Trophy had been revoked. On September 14, Bush stated he would voluntarily forfeit his award and sent the trophy back to the Heisman Trust, which then vacated the award. However, to date, neither Bush nor his family have returned his 2005 Heisman Trophy. The San Diego Hall of Champions sports museum has since given the copy of the award it had in its possession back to Bush's parents.
Awards and recognition
- Awarded the 2005 Walter Camp AwardWalter Camp AwardThe Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
and the 2005 Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
. - Won the Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 2005, beating finalists Vince YoungVince YoungVincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
and former Heisman winner and teammate Matt LeinartMatt LeinartMatthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
. After a NCAA investigation in 2010 ruled he was ineligible to participate as a student-athlete at USC, Bush became the first player in the history of the Heisman Trophy to forfeit the award. - Also in 2005, he was named the Pigskin Club of Washington D.C.The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C.The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., Inc. was founded in 1938 with the goals of "improving relationship between persons interested in the game of football; that there may be given encouragement for good, clean sport; that there may be a more perfect understanding among such persons; and, that...
Offensive Player of the Year. - In celebration of their stellar college football careers, Bush and Leinart appeared on the cover of the December 25, 2005 issue of Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. The magazine anointed the pair as the "Best in College Football" in 2005. - 17th player in NCAA history to gain over 2,000 all-purpose yards twice (2,330 yards in 2004 and 2,890 yards in 2005).
- He was featured on the cover of NCAA Football 2007, released on July 18, 2006.
- He was ranked #24 on ESPN's 25 Greatest Players in College Football list.
2006 NFL Draft
On January 12, 2006, Bush elected to forgo his senior season at USC and declared himself eligible for the NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. Draft analysts predicted that he would be the first overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
, held by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. However, in a surprising move on the night before the draft, the Texans signed Mario Williams
Mario Williams
Mario Jerrel Williams is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was selected first overall by the Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft...
, a defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
from North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, meaning that Bush would not be the first draft pick. Bush's representatives spoke that night with the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, who said they intended to use their second overall pick to select Bush.
Bush was indeed drafted by the Saints with the second overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans' decision to not take Bush was derided by many sports analysts. At the time, ESPN commentator Len Pasquarelli
Len Pasquarelli
Len Pasquarelli is an American sports writer and analyst with The Sports Xchange and a 25-year vet of covering the NFL.The Sports Xchange is a network of professional, accredited reporters and analysts who cover each team or sport full time....
claimed that Houston selecting Williams ahead of Bush was one of the biggest mistakes made in NFL Draft history.
On April 26, 2006, three days prior to the draft, Bush had signed a multi-year endorsement with Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
to promote football and training clothes, and help the athletic sportswear company launch cleats in 2007.
2006 season
Bush's selection by the New Orleans Saints in the NFL draft generated excitement and celebration among Saints fans. By the end of the week after the draft, ReebokReebok
Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
reported receiving over 15,000 orders for Bush's Saints jersey, even though his jersey number with the Saints had not yet been determined. Bush had petitioned the NFL to wear the number 5, which he has worn throughout his high school and college careers. However, in order for him to wear that number, the NFL would have to revise its numbering regulations, which require running backs to wear a number between 20 and 49. Bush was allowed to wear the number 5 during the Saints' minicamp practices pending the NFL's ruling. On May 23, 2006, the NFL competition committee officially rejected his request, and on May 25 it was officially announced that Bush would be wearing number 25, acquired from Saints running back Fred McAfee
Fred McAfee
Fred Lee McAfee is a former American football running back in the NFL who played for the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.-Early years:...
. Although Bush had earlier pledged to donate a quarter of the money he received from jersey sales to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
victims if allowed to wear the number 5, he later said he would make that donation no matter what number he wears. As part of the deal with McAfee to wear the number 25, Bush agreed to allocate half of that money to charities of McAfee's choosing, with the other half going to charities of Bush's choosing. McAfee pledged to donate his share to Katrina victims in his home state of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Bush is second to Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
in NFL endorsement deals, amounting to roughly $5 million annually. He has signed contracts with Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
, General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
, Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
and the Subway
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
restaurant chain.
Amazed by the warm reception he received from the fans in New Orleans as well as the magnitude of the devastation caused there by Hurricane Katrina, Bush expressed excitement about playing with the Saints and pledged to help the city recover from the hurricane. On May 15, 2006, Bush donated $50,000 to help keep Holy Rosary High School, a Catholic school for students with learning disabilities, from closing. During training camp, Saints receiver Joe Horn
Joe Horn
Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
dubbed him "Baby Matrix" because of his seemingly impossible evasive maneuvers (apparently comparing him to the movie The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, which features characters who move faster than humanly possible to dodge bullets).
Bush's rookie season had both ups and downs, although as the season wore on he became more productive and integral to the Saints' surprising success. In the first game of Bush's NFL career, he amassed 141 total yards against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He carried the ball fewer times than his counterpart Deuce McAllister
Deuce McAllister
Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, putting off any speculation that he would immediately supplant McAllister as the starter in New Orleans. The Saints won the game by a score of 19–14. This effort lowered his league-worst rushing average among running backs to only 2.55 yards per carry. However, he finished the midway point of the season with 46 receptions, the most by any running back in the league.
At the midway point of the season, Bush had yet to score a touchdown either receiving or running the ball; however, on November 12, 2006, Bush rushed for his first touchdown from scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
on a reverse against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. On December 3, Bush tied the Saints' single-game touchdown record, held by Joe Horn, by scoring four touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. He gained 168 all-purpose yards as he sparked the Saints to their eighth win of the season. On December 10, Bush scored a 62-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in Dallas, contributing to the Saints' 42–17 drubbing of the Cowboys in what was expected to be a more competitive matchup that would be important to the playoff race. On December 24, Bush scored a one-yard touchdown on a reverse against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Bush also had a career-high 126 rushing yards on the day. On December 31, Bush scored a one-yard touchdown against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
but carried the ball only three times, even though backfield counterpart Deuce McAllister did not play. This was because the New Orleans Saints had already clinched the #2 NFC seed in the playoffs.
In the NFC Divisional Playoff game on January 13, 2007, Bush ran for 52 yards on 12 carries and scored a touchdown, and added three catches for 22 yards, as New Orleans edged the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
27–24 to earn its first NFC Championship Game appearance in the team's 40-year history. The game was also notable for the vicious hit that Bush absorbed from Sheldon Brown
Sheldon Brown (football player)
Sheldon Dion Brown is an American football cornerback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
while attempting to catch a swing pass on the Saints' first play of the game. On January 21, in the NFC Championship playoff game, Bush caught a pass on the 22 and ran 78 yards downfield (eluding the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
safety) for an 88-yard touchdown thrown by Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
. This comeback was the first score of the second half and closed the gap from 16–7 (in favor of Chicago) to 16–14. That was the last time, however, the Saints would score. The Bears went on to trounce the Saints 39–14 to earn a berth to the Super Bowl.
Bush was fined by the NFL after the game for $5,000 for taunting: which consisted of wagging his finger at All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
and doing a somersault after the 88-yard reception score. Bush apologized immediately after the event.
2007 season
In the season opener of the 2007 season2007 NFL season
The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League.Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30....
, Bush and the Saints lost to the defending Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champion Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
41–10. Bush was tied for a team-best 38 rushing yards on 12 carries. He also had seven yards on four receptions and a punt return for two yards in a disappointing opener for him and the Saints. Their next game was equally as disappointing, as the Saints were beaten 31–14 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
and Bush averaged 2.7 yards per carry and 27 yards from scrimmage – over a third of which came on one play. Bush scored two rushing touchdowns, both one-yard runs, in the Saints' Week 3 loss to the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. In that game, Bush carried seven times for 15 yards while catching six passes for 20 yards. Bush finished the season with six total touchdowns and 581 yards rushing, averaging 3.6 yards per carry. Bush missed the final four games of the 2007 season with a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
2008 season
Bush and the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
to open the 2008 season. With Deuce McAllister out due to injury, Bush started the game. He showed great improvement early in the season, particularly during Week 3 against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, in which he had 18 carries for 73 yards and two touchdowns, one touchdown that included a run up the middle, cutting back to the outside for 23 yards. He added a second touchdown on a six-yard swing pass from Drew Brees near the goal line. Bush ended the game with 11 receptions for 75 yards and one receiving touchdown. Since he came into the league, no running back has caught more passes out of the backfield than Bush, who collected 171 receptions in his first two years. On October 6, in a home game against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, he returned two punts for touchdowns and nearly had a third, tying an NFL record for single-game punt returns for touchdowns and becoming the 12th player to do so. In a home game against the Oakland Raiders on October 12, Bush tied the NFL record for fastest time to his 200th catch, doing so in only 34 games.
Bush was injured in the October 19 game against the Carolina Panthers. He had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee the next day and was expected to miss the next three to four games. Bush returned on November 30 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and registered three carries for no yards and five catches for 32 yards in a 23–20 Saints loss. However, one week later he was back on track, producing over 100 yards from scrimmage and a TD catch in an important 29–25 home win against the division rival Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to keep the Saints' slim playoff hopes alive.
On December 11, Bush sprained his medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the Saints' 27–24 overtime loss in Chicago. Although diagnosed as a sprain, given that it was the same knee he had surgery on earlier in the year – and that the Saints were now out of the playoff picture with only two games left in the 2008 season – Bush was placed on injured reserve, ending his season early for the second year in a row. He finished the season with 404 rushing yards on 106 carries, 440 yards receiving with 52 receptions and nine total touchdowns, playing in ten games. On January 7, 2009, the New Orleans Saints confirmed that Bush had surgery on his left knee, and would require months of rehabilitation. However, Bush was expected to be ready for minicamp in June.
2009 and Super Bowl season
On August 5, 2009, Bush left practice due to continuing problems with his left knee, later to return with his knee wrapped in an icepack. Bush and the Saints said that he iced the knee as a precaution. Bush missed the last three games of the 2009 preseason due to a calf injury and to rest his surgically repaired knee. Team officials called it precautionary in nature and stated that Bush would be ready to play during the regular season.Bush missed games 11 and 12 of the regular season due to soreness in his surgically repaired knee. He also missed most of game 15 due to a minor hamstring injury.
Bush experienced career lows in every major category for the 2009 season. While he had 8 total touchdowns, good for 3rd on the team, Bush was used sparingly during the year. Bush ended the year playing in 14 games with 70 carries for 390 yards and 5 touchdowns, and 47 receptions for 335 yards and 3 touchdowns.
On January 16, 2010, in the NFC divisional playoff
2009–10 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2009 season began on January 9, 2010 and led up to Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
game against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Bush had one of the best games of his pro career. He rushed for 84 yards on only 5 carries, including a 46-yard touchdown run. This play was the longest run by a New Orleans Saints player in the postseason. He also added an 83-yard punt return touchdown late in the third quarter, the Saints' last score in their 45–14 win.
In the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
against the Minnesota Vikings on January 24, Bush had only 8 yards rushing on 7 carries with 2 receptions for 33 yards, and he fumbled a punt return. However, one of his receptions was a late touchdown that helped the Saints win their first NFC championship and their first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance and eventual victory in franchise history.
On February 7, 2010, Bush won his first Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
with a 31–17 win over the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in Miami.
2010 season
Bush's 2010 season was overshadowed by the controversy over his Heisman Trophy, as well as other matters related to his years at USC. During the second regular-season game, a Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
contest with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, he was injured while returning a punt. He did not return to the game. The injury was diagnosed as a broken bone in his right leg and he was expected to miss at least six weeks. He returned on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys.
Miami Dolphins
On July 28, 2011, the Saints traded Bush to the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for reserve safety Jonathon Amaya
Jonathon Amaya
Jonathon Daniel Amaya is an American football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
and an exchange of undisclosed draft picks. During the Dolphins' first win of the 2011 season against the Kansas City Chiefs, Bush scored his first rushing touchdown since 2009.
Bush also had his second career 100 yard game against the New York Giants having 15 rushes with 103 yards
Media career and personal life
French mobile game publisher GameloftGameloft
Gameloft SA is a major French computer and video game developer and publisher headquartered in Paris, France. The company also has subsidiaries in 31 countries around the world....
announced on November 21, 2006 that it had signed Bush as its cover athlete for Reggie Bush Pro Football 2007, which was made available in January 2007 across multiple wireless carriers and cell phones. This marked the second cover endorsement for Bush, who was the cover athlete of Electronic Arts' NCAA Football 07
NCAA Football 07
NCAA Football 07 is a collegiate football video game published by Electronic Arts. The product features former USC player Reggie Bush on the cover...
. Gameloft did not secure the NFL license for this mobile game, which means that actual team names, logos and NFLPA players (aside from Bush) were not incorporated into the gameplay. In 2007, he appeared in Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
's music video "Like a Boy
Like a Boy
"Like a Boy" is a song performed by American singer Ciara for her second album Ciara: The Evolution . Written by Ciara, Candice Nelson, Balewa Muhammad, J. Que, Ezekiel Lewis, and Calvin Kenon, it is the third release in the U.S...
".
On June 26, 2007, David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
's first major U.S. TV ad campaign since finishing with Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
made its debut via the web. Titled "Futbol Meets Football", it paired Beckham with Bush in a 13-part video series, with additional television, radio and online promotion by Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
.
In August 2007, he signed a deal with Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
to be a weekly announcer for the 2007 season.
At one time Bush dated WWE Diva
WWE Diva
Diva is a term used by World Wrestling Entertainment , an American professional wrestling promotion, to refer to its female talent. The term is applied to women who appear as wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers....
Eve Torres
Eve Torres
Eve Marie Torres is an American dancer, model, and professional wrestler. She is working for WWE on Raw brand. She is a two time WWE Divas Champion.Torres began her career as a model and dancer...
while at USC. Bush then dated Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
. Their relationship began after being introduced by Matt Leinart
Matt Leinart
Matthew Stephen Leinart , is an American professional football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
at the 2007 ESPY Awards
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
. They split on July 27, 2009 and got back together on September 28, 2009. They split again in late March 2010.
Bush was nominated for Male Athlete of the Year
BET Award for Athlete of the Year
Below are the nominees and winners for the BET Award for Best Female Athlete & Male Athlete. Serena Williams holds the record for most wins in the Female Athlete category with 5 wins, she also holds the record for the most nominations, being nominated every year since the awards inception. LeBron...
at the 2007 and 2009 BET Awards
BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
.
Bush was featured almost shirtless on the February 2010 cover of Essence as part of an issue about "Black Men, Love & Relationships." However, this appearance generated controversy as some among the magazine's readers took offense to Bush on the cover of such an issue, at the time he was involved with Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
(who is not black) and Bush was accused of only dating non-black women.
Also in 2010, Bush's fundraising work for organizations that benefit Haiti and diamond-producing countries in Africa earned him a nomination for the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
Do Something Awards. Specifically, Bush worked on behalf of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, visiting Botswana and South Africa and raising money for education there. He is a founding member of the Fund's Athletes for Africa program. The awards show, produced by VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, is dedicated to honoring people who do good and is powered by Do Something
Do Something
Do Something is a non-profit organization that motivates young people to take action around social changes through national campaigns and grants for projects that make an impact. The organization's CEO is Nancy Lublin, who founded Dress for Success in 1996.-History:The organization was co-founded...
, an organization that aims to empower, celebrate, and inspire young people.