Former NFL star O.J. Simpson has died at the age of 76 after a private battle with cancer, his family announced. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family shared on X.
Simpson passed away surrounded by his children and grandchildren. His family also emphasized his struggle with the illness, noting it had been kept out of the public eye. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” they added in their statement.
Beyond his remarkable sports career, Simpson was infamously known for his legal troubles. He was thrust into the national spotlight following his 1994 arrest for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. Despite his notoriety as an athlete, his legal battles overshadowed his sports achievements. “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit,” his lawyer Johnnie Cochran famously declared during the trial, referring to a glove recovered at the crime scene. Simpson was acquitted of the murders on October 3, 1995, following a highly publicized trial that lasted over a year.
His legal woes continued into the 2000s, culminating in a 2008 conviction for armed robbery in Las Vegas, for which he served nine years before being paroled in 2017.
Simpson’s football legacy includes 11 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, and a record-setting MVP season in 1973 when he became the first NFL player to rush over 2,000 yards in a season. He still holds the record for the highest average rushing yards per game in a single season.
Former NFL star O.J. Simpson has died at the age of 76 after a private battle with cancer, his family announced. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family shared on X.
Simpson passed away surrounded by his children and grandchildren. His family also emphasized his struggle with the illness, noting it had been kept out of the public eye. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” they added in their statement.
Beyond his remarkable sports career, Simpson was infamously known for his legal troubles. He was thrust into the national spotlight following his 1994 arrest for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. Despite his notoriety as an athlete, his legal battles overshadowed his sports achievements. “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit,” his lawyer Johnnie Cochran famously declared during the trial, referring to a glove recovered at the crime scene. Simpson was acquitted of the murders on October 3, 1995, following a highly publicized trial that lasted over a year.
His legal woes continued into the 2000s, culminating in a 2008 conviction for armed robbery in Las Vegas, for which he served nine years before being paroled in 2017.
Simpson’s football legacy includes 11 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, and a record-setting MVP season in 1973 when he became the first NFL player to rush over 2,000 yards in a season. He still holds the record for the highest average rushing yards per game in a single season.
