Reggie Bush: USC star reflects on receiving a penalty at alma mater as broadcaster

Reggie Bush is synonymous with the USC Trojans football program for two reasons. The first, and most significant, is the former running back’s prolific career.

The second? Bush is constantly attached to the scandal and infractions—which would be legal under the new NIL rules passed in July— that led to the USC star’s Heisman Trophy getting revoked.

"How are you just going to give me a penalty like that?" 😂😂@ReggieBush, @MattLeinartQB and @RobStoneONFOX look back at the time Reggie was given a flag while celebrating a touchdown in his first time back at USC pic.twitter.com/BBwH2XHBDO

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 28, 2021

Now part of the FOX college football broadcast team, Bush, and his former teammate Matt Leinart had some fun looking back on Bush’s first trip back to USC as a broadcaster. Inevitably, the Trojans’ star was actually flagged for celebrating with a player after a USC touchdown.

“The best part about it was they gave you a penalty,” Leinart joked. “That was your first time back at USC and they gave you a penalty?”

Bush chimed in as well.

“Yeah that’s kind of crazy, man, how are you just going to give me a penalty like that. I wasn’t even doing anything, I was just trying to celebrate.”

The biggest question is was there actually a real punishment handed out to Bush or USC?

“Excessive celebration, I don’t know,” Leinart said with a smirk after getting asked what Bush’s punishment actually was after receiving the ridiculous penalty.

Reggie Bush at USC

Bush shined as one of the most electrifying players college football had ever seen from 2003-2005. After helping the Trojans win the BCS Championship in 2004 (the victory was later vacated). Bush closed our his USC legacy with  3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns on 433 carries. The true all-purpose back added 1,301 yards with 13 scores and returned 67 kickoffs for 1,522 yards and a touchdown, adding 559 yards and three scores on 44 punt returns.

Those statistics are obviously eye-popping, but the NCAA single-handedly made Bush the villain, stripping him of his Heisman Trophy while handing down a slew of sanctions against the USC football program that technically wiped the national title victory away.

This all feels like it went into the former Trojan’s reputation, which in turn, led to the unprecedented flag anyway.

At least Bush has taken all of this in stride and handled it with humor and class. Is there any other example in the history of college football where a broadcaster receives an actual penalty flag from a referee?

We can’t find any, so let us know.