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'Johnny Manziel's public plea made a difference' for Reggie Bush's Heisman reinstatement, Pete Thamel tells Pat McAfee on ESPN

shaun holkko
·2 min read

At long last, the 2005 Heisman Trophy has been returned to its rightful owner and a Texas A&M legend had a lot to do with it according to a prominent college football reporter.

Former USC playmaker and College Football Hall of Famer Reggie Bush has been given back the award that he voluntarily forfeited in 2010, per ESPN senior writer Pete Thamel.

"Personally, I'm thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I'm honored to return to the Heisman family," Bush told Thamel. "I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization."

According to Thamel, one factor in the trust's choice was the finding of "fundamental changes in college athletics" in which rules that have allowed "student-athlete compensation" to become "an accepted practice and appears here to stay."

After scooping the news about Bush's "reinstatement" on Wednesday morning, Thamel joined The Pat McAfee Show on the Worldwide Leader to explain what went into the decision.

"Momentum shifted two years ago, nothing happens quickly in college sports. I do think Johnny Manziel's public plea made a difference. The Heisman is an age-old institution that is sensitive to criticism. When one of their own came out that strongly, I think that mattered," Thamel said. "Johnny Manziel got a lot of attention for what he said."

Following the announcement, Johnny Football was understandably overjoyed and shared his glee on X.

"Thank you to the Heisman Trophy for doing what’s right and welcoming a storied member of our history back into the fold. There were many voices throughout this process that stood on the table for Reggie simply because of the kind of human being he is. I look forward to being on that stage with you this December, Reggie Bush, you deserve it," Manziel posted. "If you guys need anything from me today I’ll be watching ‘05 Reggie Bush highlights on repeat."

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 'Johnny Manziel's public plea made a difference' for Reggie Bush's Heisman reinstatement, Pete Thamel tells Pat McAfee on ESPN