O.J. Simpson is one of the most controversial figures in sports history. Simpson was a superstar for the Buffalo Bills in the 1970s, making five Pro Bowl appearances and winning both Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in 1973. In 1994, Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. The trial was very publicized, with Simpson being chased by police while in a white Ford Bronco becoming a defining image of the 90s.
Simpson was born in 1947 in San Francisco. He had a troubled childhood, living in a low-income family and joining a gang as a teenager. According to O.J., a meeting with baseball star Willie Mays convinced him to turn his life around. Due to poor grades, Simpson didn’t receive major college scouting, so he attended the City College of San Francisco before transferring to the University of Southern California. At USC, Simpson became a nationally recognized player, winning a national championship with the team in 1967 and the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1968. Simpson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the first overall pick in the 1969 NFL draft.
Simpson continued his dominance in the NFL, quickly becoming a superstar running back for Buffalo. During his tenure with the Bills, O.J. led the league in rushing yards four times, rushing touchdowns three times, and he won multiple major awards, including the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards in 1973. Simpson played for 11 seasons, with nine being with the Buffalo Bills and two being for the San Francisco 49ers, his hometown team.
In 1994, Simpson was accused of murder after his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead. Simpson’s relationship with Brown was claimed by many to be a textbook example of domestic abuse, with Simpson being accused of frequently hitting Nicole. After Brown divorced Simpson in 1992, she accused O.J. of stalking and harassing her. The murder trial became a highly publicized event due to news media and television frequently reporting on it. Simpson and his high-profile legal team polarized America by claiming that the trial was being corrupted by the LAPD’s racism and bias. After a trial that lasted eleven months, Simpson was found not guilty.
After his murder trial, Simpson faced further legal trouble. Three years after the initial Brown and Goldman murder trial, he was found guilty in a civil suit from the victims’ families but paid little of the $33.5 million that he was ordered to give. He was charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in 2007, was arrested and imprisoned in rural Nevada until 2017, and served parole until 2021 after his release.
On April 10th, 2024, Simpson passed away at the age of 76. This news came about a year after Simpson revealed to the public that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer but vowed that he would overcome it. Upon his death, many reacted in a negative way. Ronald Goldman’s family issued a statement saying “The hope for true accountability has ended, thank you for keeping our family, and most importantly Ron, in your hearts.” Neither the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, or the University of Southern California acknowledged Simpson’s passing, and the NFL reported the news with an Associated Press article. Many had hoped for Simpson’s brain to be donated for scientific research on CTE, which affects many former NFL players, but Simpson’s estate refused and had him cremated. The executor of Simpson’s estate first claimed that the Brown and Goldman families would receive none of Simpson’s will, but later reversed this decision.
O.J. Simpson left a lasting legacy on the sport of American football, but his legal troubles cannot be overlooked. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith was quoted as saying “O.J. Simpson is one of the greatest athletes we have ever seen, but it all pales in comparison to him being perceived as a double murderer.” In a more cynical response to Simpson’s failed acting career, director David Zucker posted a message on Instagram reading “His acting was a lot like his murdering: he got away with it, but no one believed him.”
