O.J. Simpson, a football legend and actor whose 1994 trial for the murder of his ex-wife captivated the country, has died at 76 after a battle with cancer, his family confirmed.
Simpson's family posted on social media Thursday that he had "succumbed to his battle with cancer.” Nicknamed “the Juice,” Simpson is considered one of the greatest college and pro football running backs in history.
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 FamilyApril 11, 2024
Simpson won the 1968 Heisman Trophy award while at USC. In an 11-year NFL career, he played for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers from 1969 to 1979. He won the NFL MVP Award in 1973 for Buffalo, when he became the first runner to break the 2,000-yard rushing mark. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
As an actor, he starred in such films as The Towering Inferno and The Naked Gun franchise, as well as in the 1977 ABC miniseries Roots and HBO’s football-themed series 1st & Ten. He also endorsed many products, famously appearing in advertisements for the Hertz rental car company.
Simpson would also serve as a broadcaster for ABC's Monday Night Football and as a pro football analyst for NBC Sports.
His accomplishments, however, were overshadowed when he was charged in 1994 for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Five days after the murders, millions watched as Simpson led police on a televised chase through Los Angeles in a white Ford Bronco before he surrendered to police.
His televised trial, in which he would be acquitted of all charges, captivated and polarized the nation and became known as the “trial of the century.” Simpson’s life would eventually become the subject of a 2016 Oscar-winning ESPN documentary, O.J.: Made In America, and an Emmy-winning FX limited series that same year, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
In 2007, Simpson would be arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery in an attempt to recover what he claimed to be stolen sports memorabilia. He served nearly nine years in prison before being released on parole in 2017.
