O.J. Simpson has died at the age of 76, according to a statement on social media from his family.
The former Heisman Trophy winner and running back for the Buffalo Bills made a name for himself in the 1960s and 1970s in the NFL and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
But his glittering football career, and subsequent foray into acting and endorsements, was overshadowed by the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman in her Brentwood, California, home in 1994.
Simpson was the prime suspect and had been scheduled to surrender to police on those charges but then tried to evade officers in a now-infamous white Ford Bronco. The low-speed chase took place on the 91 Freeway in the Los Angeles area and lasted for two hours, which was broadcast across television networks around the world.
Simpson went on trial in January of 1995, in an event dubbed the “trial of the century,” with his defense attorneys arguing their client was wrongly accused of the two deaths. During the trial, the defendant was asked by the prosecution to put on a pair of gloves believed to have been worn by the killer. The gloves did not appear to fit Simpson’s hands.
This led Johnnie Cochran, one of Simpson’s defense lawyers, to say the now-famous line: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”
Simpson was acquitted in 1995 in a decision that divided the nation and has continued to engross the country and percolate pop culture decades later. In 2016, the documentary O.J.: Made in America won the Academy Award for best documentary, while an FX series, The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, released in the same year and starring Cuba Gooding Jr., won eight Emmys and two Golden Globes.
In 2008, Simpson released a book about the experience called If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer, which detailed how he would’ve committed the crime but maintained his innocence. Proceeds from sales of the book now benefit the family of Goldman.
In the same year, Simpson would serve time in prison after being found guilty on felony counts of kidnapping and armed robbery related to the theft of what he said was his own sports memorabilia. He served nine years in a prison outside Reno, Nevada.
Following his release, Simpson carved out a niche for himself on social media, where he would post viral videos to X. The family used that account to announce his death.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the announcement of his death said. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”
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The Heisman Trophy Trust responded to Simpson’s death on X, saying it “mourns the passing of the 1968 trophy winner. We extend our sympathy to his family.”
The Pro Football Hall of fame dedicated a portion of their website to Simpson’s career and how he was elected to the hall the first year he was eligible.
“O.J. Simpson was the first player to reach a rushing mark many thought could not be attained in a 14-game season when he topped 2,000 yards,” said Jim Porter, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “His on-field contributions will be preserved in the Hall’s archives in Canton, Ohio.”
Prior to his death, Simpson denied rumors that he was in hospice. He had reportedly been battling prostate cancer since February. He will also be remembered for his promotion of the Hertz car rental company in 1978 and his role as Nordberg in the 1988 film The Naked Gun and its subsequent sequels.
