Who was OJ Simpson? Simpson's NFL achievements, net worth, murder trial explained
O.J. Simpson, the first NFL player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season, has died at the age of 76, according to a social media statement by his family.
Simpson revealed in May 2023 that he had "caught cancer" in an X post, revealing that he had undergone chemotherapy treatment.
Simpson had a career in the NFL that lasted for 11 seasons. Simpson spent most of his playing years with the Buffalo Bills and had a short period with the San Francisco 49ers before retiring in 1979. However, Simpson's professional football career was overshadowed by the trial and subsequent acquittal for the murders of his former wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
More: O.J. Simpson and his life in photos
O.J. Simpson's college football career
Simpson was a star running back at Galileo High School in San Francisco and graduated in 1965. He went on to attend City College of San Francisco and was named a junior college All-American during his first two seasons.
Simpson transferred to the University of Southern California as a football and track star. He finished sixth in the NCAA 100-meter dash and also ran the third leg on the world-record-setting 440-yard relay team that won an NCAA title. In his junior year at USC, Simpson led the nation in rushing with 1,543 yards, scored 13 touchdowns, and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Simpson set the NCAA single-season rushing record in 1968 with 1,709 yards, leading the Trojans to a Rose Bowl appearance, which they lost to Ohio State. Simpson won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 after his senior year performance at the University of Southern California, marking the second Heisman in USC's football program history.
Simpson was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1985.
O.J. Simpson's NFL Career
After two impressive years at USC, the Buffalo Bills selected Simpson as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NFL/AFL common draft.
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Simpson led the NFL in rushing yards from 1972-1976, totaling 7,699 yards in four seasons. In 1973, Simpson won the MVP after becoming the first running back to rush for more than 2,000 yards, ending the season with 2,003 yards, an average of 142.1 rushing yards per game.
During his 11-year career, Simpson accumulated 11,236 rushing yards, 2,142 receiving yards, and 990 kick return yards and scored 76 touchdowns. He was selected for six Pro Bowls, named a first-team All-Pro five times, and was also included in the NFL All-Decade Team of the 1970s.
O.J. Simpson's career after football
After retiring from the NFL in 1979, O.J. Simpson pursued a career in sports commentary and acting. He worked as a commentator for Monday Night Football and the NFL on NBC. Additionally, he appeared in several films, including "Naked Gun," "The Klansman," "The Towering Inferno," and "The Cassandra Crossing," to name a few.
O.J. Simpson's murder trial and acquittal
In 1985, Simpson married Nicole Brown and the couple had two children. Brown eventually filed for divorce in 1992. In 1994, Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were found stabbed to death outside Brown's condo in Los Angeles. Simpson was accused of the murder of Brown and Goldman. He failed to surrender himself, which led to the infamous low-speed chase in a white 1993 Ford Bronco SUV.
The highly publicized trial of Simpson, known as the "Trial of the Century," resulted in a not-guilty verdict for the two murders, leading to Simpson's acquittal of all charges.
O.J. Simpson's networth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, it is estimated that Simpson has a net worth of $3 million.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who was OJ Simpson? NFL career, net worth, murder trial explained
