O.J. Simpson, the former NFL star running back who was accused of and ultimately acquitted in the death of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, is dead at the age of 76.
That’s according to his family in a post on X (formerly Twitter), which said that he died on April 10 after a battle with cancer.
So how did ESPN cover the breaking news about the former athlete? Shae Peppler Cornette kept it simple, stating the facts about Simpson and his life before sending it to Jeremy Schaap.
Here’s the moment, along with the tweet from Simpson’s family on Thursday:
Here is how ESPN's Shae Peppler Cornette announced the news of O.J. Simpson's death on SportsCenter. The show proceeded to bring in Jeremy Schaap to discuss Simpson's legacy. pic.twitter.com/U56gjceiWn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 11, 2024
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.
-The Simpson Family
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024