Joe Burrow’s Louisiana ties didn’t start when he arrived at LSU. Long before he became a Tigers star, the Bengals quarterback was already pulling for the Saints, and the reason was Reggie Bush.
Burrow talked about that connection during a panel at Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center in New York City, where he joined fellow Heisman Trophy winners Jameis Winston and Eddie George. His admiration for Bush goes back to childhood, when the Saints running back was the player he wanted to watch.
“Reggie was my favorite player when he was playing,” Burrow said. “That’s why I became a Saints fan - because Reggie Bush got drafted to the Saints, and I just loved watching him.”
Bush was taken by New Orleans with the No. 2 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, when Burrow was nine years old. He quickly became one of the most recognizable players on a Saints team that made it to the NFC championship game in his rookie season.
Over five seasons in New Orleans, Bush made his mark as a runner, receiver, and returner. Burrow would later build his own Louisiana legend after transferring from Ohio State to LSU, winning the 2019 Heisman Trophy and leading the Tigers to an undefeated national championship.
Burrow’s respect for Bush also shows up in how he views the former Saints back’s Heisman situation. He didn’t hold back when talking about the decision that led to Bush losing the 2005 trophy.
“Obviously, everybody knows who Reggie is, but they took his dang Heisman away, and all these hypocritical coaches were doing the same thing to everybody else,” Burrow said. “But because Reggie was on top of the world, they were like, ‘We’re going to take this thing away from him.’”
Bush forfeited the award in 2010, and the Heisman Trust reinstated him as the 2005 winner in 2024. Burrow still believes the trophy never should have been taken from the player who helped shape his love for the Saints and for Louisiana football.
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