Reggie Bush, the legendary University of Southern California running back who helped guide the Trojans to two National Championships in the mid-2000s, spoke to the media on Thursday for the first time since his 2005 Heisman Trophy was returned this week.

“It’s a full circle moment for me right now,” Bush told reporters at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Thursday. “I can close my eyes and I can right away place myself on that football field in the No. 5 jersey.”

Bush, a San Diego County native who played for USC from 2003 to 2005, forfeited college football’s most prestigious award in 2010 in light of the discovery of “improper benefits” in the form of money and other items being awarded to him during his career, according to the L.A. Times.

While speaking on Thursday, Bush adamantly said the trophy was “wrongfully” taken, and said the insinuation that he “cheated” as a young player was what hurt him the most during the 14 years in which he wasn’t an official Heisman winner.

“You can’t get to this or a National Championship by cheating, I promise you,” Bush said, while pointing to the Heisman Trophy.

In addition to the stripping of the title of “Heisman Trophy winner,” the 2004 BCS National Championship and all wins from that 13-0 season were vacated from USC itself. Those wins remain vacated as of Thursday.

“This trophy is not just a representation of me,” Bush said. “It’s a representation of my teammates as well who helped me fight to get there.”

On Wednesday, the Heisman Trophy Trust decided to give the trophy back to Bush and the replica back to USC after a “deliberative process” in light of the massive structural changes to college athletics.

“We are thrilled to welcome Reggie Bush back to the Heisman family in recognition of his collegiate accomplishments,” said Michael Comerford, president of the trust. “We considered the enormous changes in college athletics over the last several years in deciding that now is the right time to reinstate the Trophy for Reggie. We are so happy to welcome him back.”

Bush’s astounding 2005 season was marked by 1,740 rushing yards, 478 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns. USC finished the season at No. 2 in the BCS rankings after falling to Texas in the National Championship game, which is now remembered as one of the greatest games in college football history.

Bush, now 39, won the Heisman Trophy in a landslide vote over Texas quarterback Vince Young.

The Heisman Trust said in addition to being re-awarded the hardware, Bush will be invited to all future Heisman Trophy ceremonies, beginning with the next one this December.

Former winners rejoiced at the news that Bush was rejoining the Heisman family.

“Thank you to the [Heisman Trophy] for doing what’s right and welcoming a storied member of our history back into the fold,” former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, the 2012 winner, said on X. “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.”

Bush’s teammate Matt Leinart, who was the Trojan’s quarterback from 2003 to 2005, said Wednesday was a “huge day for college football” in a video posted to his social media accounts. Leinart won the Heisman in 2004, one year before Bush.

“It’s been in Ohio as early as the mid-1850s at least, brought in as an ornamental plant because of its unique foliage and white flowers,” Gardner said. “It was actually planted in people’s landscaping, and it has been spreading.”

“Everybody knows how long of a road this was,” Leinart said. “Over 10 years in the making … Now the trophy is back in the hands of where it belongs.”

While speaking on Thursday, Bush said it was the first time his three children, all born after the Heisman was stripped, had seen the trophy.

“The first thing they said was, ‘Dang, it’s big,'” Bush said to a round of laughs. “Those are the moments I couldn’t wait for.”