Former Bills RB O.J. Simpson dies at 76 after battle with cancer
Former Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson, whose trial for the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman captivated the nation, has died.
Simpson, 76, passed away following a battle with cancer. Simpson’s family announced his death on Thursday:
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
Simpson won the 1968 Heisman Trophy at USC, earning the most first-place votes (855) in history.
In 1969, the Bills selected Simpson with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. He earned five first-team All-Pro honors, including in 1973. Simpson was named NFL MVP that year after he became the first player ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season and will likely go down as the only one to do so in only 14 games.
Simpson spent nine years in Buffalo. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. In 2019, USA TODAY named him one of the NFL’s 100 best players of all time.
Simpson worked after retirement as a broadcaster for “The NFL on NBC” and “Monday Night Football.” He also starred in numerous commercials and films such as “The Naked Gun” franchise.
Simpson’s legacy forever changed in 1994. Simpson became the focal point of the “trial of the century.” He was acquitted of the murders of Brown and Goldman but was found liable for their deaths in a civil trial in 1995 and was ordered to pay $33.5 million.
In more recent years, Simpson had shown up at Highmark Stadium during Bills games, where he would pose for photos with fans in his suite.
