Reggie Bush
A human highlight reel whose electrifying college career at USC redefined the potential of the running back position.
Born 1985 (age 41)·American football player·Birthday: March 2·Millennials
Biography
For a few glorious years in the mid-2000s, Reggie Bush wasn't just a football player; he was a phenomenon. At the University of Southern California, he operated with a breathtaking blend of speed, agility, and vision that made every touch a potential masterpiece. He was the engine of a Trojan dynasty, a weapon deployed as a runner, receiver, and returner. His 2005 Heisman Trophy season was a montage of impossible cuts and breakaway sprints, cementing his place in college football lore. His professional journey with the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, and others was solid and included a Super Bowl ring, but it was inevitably measured against the superhuman standard he set in college. Later, his voluntary forfeiture of the Heisman amid NCAA controversies added a complex chapter to his legacy, but it cannot erase the visceral impact he had on the sport.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Reggie was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Reggie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Reggie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Heisman Trophy in 2005 while playing for the USC Trojans.
- Won Super Bowl XLIV as a member of the New Orleans Saints.
- Earned consensus All-American honors twice during his college career (2004, 2005).
- Rushed for 1,086 yards and caught 88 passes for 742 yards in his second NFL season.
Did You Know?
He voluntarily forfeited his 2005 Heisman Trophy in 2010 following an NCAA investigation.
He dated reality TV star Kim Kardashian in the late 2000s.
He won the 2005 Walter Camp Award as the nation's top college football player.
His 513 all-purpose yards in a 2005 game against Fresno State is a Pac-12 record.
“I'm not trying to make people miss. I'm trying to get to the end zone.”
