[citation needed] Bush received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Southern California, where he played for the Trojans from 2003 to 2005 under head coach Pete Carroll.

Bush was a consensus first-team Freshman All-American selection in 2003, and became the first Trojan since Anthony Davis in 1974 to lead the Pacific-10 Conference in kickoff returns.

[32][33] On January 4, 2006, Bush and Leinart became the first pair of Heisman Trophy winners to play together for the same team in a single game,[31] against the Longhorns in the Rose Bowl.

[38] In April 2009, the Los Angeles Times reported that the NCAA had merged its investigations of Bush and former USC basketball player O. J. Mayo into a single probe of the Trojans athletic programs.

Running backs coach Todd McNair was banned from off-campus recruiting for one year after the NCAA determined he had known about Bush's dealings with the agents.

[46] On August 12, USA Today reported that Bush had called USC's new athletic director, Pat Haden, and apologized for making poor decisions that led to the NCAA sanctions.

[48] Amidst reports that the Heisman Trophy Trust would strip his award,[49] Bush in September voluntarily forfeited his title as the 2005 winner.

[50][51] The San Diego Hall of Champions sports museum returned the copy of the award it possessed back to Bush's parents in 2011.

"[55] After the NCAA ruled to allow players to make money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) on June 30, 2021,[56] Bush began advocating for the reinstatement of his Heisman Trophy and USC records.

[57] On July 2, the Heisman Trust issued a statement saying that the award would be returned to Bush if the NCAA reinstated his 2005 status at USC.

[64] USC also restored Bush's banner at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and retired his number alongside the school's other Heisman winners.

At the time, ESPN commentator Len Pasquarelli claimed that Houston selecting Williams ahead of Bush was one of the biggest mistakes made in NFL Draft history.

[76] On April 26, 2006, three days prior to the draft, Bush had signed a multi-year endorsement with Adidas to promote football and training clothes, and help the athletic sportswear company launch cleats in 2007.

[86] In his team's Week 9 contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bush finished the game with minus-5 yards on eleven carries despite the Saints' 31–14 victory.

[91] On December 31, Bush scored a one-yard touchdown against the Carolina Panthers but carried the ball only three times, even though backfield counterpart Deuce McAllister did not play.

On January 21, in the NFC Championship playoff game, Bush caught a pass on the 22 and ran 78 yards downfield (eluding the Chicago Bears safety) for an 88-yard touchdown thrown by Drew Brees.

[94][95][96] Bush was fined by the NFL after the game for US$5,000 for taunting: which consisted of wagging his finger at All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher and doing a somersault after the 88-yard reception score.

[107] However, one week later he was back on track, producing over 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown catch in an important 29–25 home win against the division rival Atlanta Falcons to keep the Saints' slim playoff hopes alive.

[108] On December 11, Bush sprained his medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the Saints' 27–24 overtime loss on the road against the Chicago Bears.

While he had eight total touchdowns, good for third on the team, Bush was used sparingly during the year due to Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas dominating the backfield carries.

However, one of his receptions was a late touchdown that helped the Saints win their first NFC championship and their first Super Bowl appearance and eventual victory in franchise history.

[119] During the second regular-season game, a Monday Night Football contest with the San Francisco 49ers, he was injured while returning a punt.

[121] On July 28, 2011, the Saints traded Bush to the Miami Dolphins for reserve safety Jonathon Amaya and a swap of sixth-round draft picks.

On November 1, 2015, during a game against the St. Louis Rams, Bush slipped on the concrete surrounding the field at the Edward Jones Dome and crashed into the wall.

[157] In making the ruling, the judge left the Rams as the sole defendant, dismissing the convention authority and sports complex from the suit.

[174] On June 26, 2007, David Beckham's first major US television advertising campaign since joining the Los Angeles Galaxy debuted via the internet.

Titled "Futbol Meets Football", it paired Beckham with Bush in a 12-part video series, with additional television, radio and online promotion by Adidas.

[180] Also in 2010, Bush's fundraising work for organizations that benefit Haiti and diamond-producing countries in Africa earned him a nomination for the VH1 Do Something Awards.

Specifically, Bush worked on behalf of the Diamond Empowerment Fund, visiting Botswana and South Africa and raising money for education there.

[187][188] On September 24, 2024 it was reported he is suing the school, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA for illegal use of his name' image and likeness without permission nor compensation.