Johnny Manziel. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Johnny Manziel reveals plan to boycott Heisman ceremony

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 3/2/24

Johnny Manziel said Saturday that he will not be attending future Heisman Trophy ceremonies to protest what he sees as an injustice.

In a pair of posts on X, Manziel said he would boycott the Heisman ceremony going forward until Reggie Bush has his trophy restored and returned to him. The 2012 Heisman winner said it “doesn’t sit right with my morals and values that he can’t be on that stage with us every year.”

After careful thought and consideration I will be humbly removing myself from the Heisman trophy ceremony until @ReggieBush gets his trophy back. 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…

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) March 2, 2024

In a second post, Manziel doubled down by saying that no amount of money would tempt him to reverse his decision, citing Bush’s play as inspirational.

You can back a brinks truck up to my house and I still will not attend the ceremony or do ANYTHING involved until Reggie’s trophy is back where it rightfully belongs.

This is about doing what’s right for everyone involved. Reggie’s play on the field inspired me to be the…

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) March 2, 2024

The subject of Bush’s Heisman has been a thorny one for some time. The 2005 winner was forced to return his Heisman in 2010 after an investigation found that he had received improper benefits during the 2005 season. Bush’s mandated disassociation period ended in 2020, and the major shift in NIL rules has led to many calls for the NCAA to restore Bush’s records and honors. The NCAA has previously stated that it will not re-evaluate previous penalties, even in light of rule changes made since they were handed down.

As a former Heisman winner, Manziel is invited to attend the annual ceremony and is also a voter. At least at the moment, he has no plans to accept that invite anytime soon. After all, it’s difficult to imagine the NCAA viewing Manziel as someone worth listening to on this subject.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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