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NFL | Apr 11

O.J. Simpson Dies at Age 76

Simpson Passed Away After Battling Cancer in Recent Years

O.J. Simpson Dies at Age 76
O.J. Simpson -Steve Marcus / POOL / AFP

R.I.P.

OJ Simpson’s kids and many of his close friends remained loyal to him until the end…

Former NFL running back Orenthal James Simpson has died at the age of 76 from prostate cancer after a brief stint in hospice care.

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The Glory Years

Former Buffalo Bills running back and NFL Hall of Famer, O.J. Simpson died on April 10th at the age of 76 after years of battling prostate cancer. A statement from his family read as follows:

“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.”


Born on July 9, 1947, O.J. Simpson enjoyed a prolific college career at USC and was also a member of a four-man relay team that set a world record in the 440-yard track and field event. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1969 he was then chosen by the AFC’s Buffalo Bills with the first overall pick in the pre-merger draft. Simpson would go on to NFL glory, becoming a 5x First Team All-Pro and winning the NFL MVP trophy in 1973.


Simpson would play his final two years (1978 and 1979) in his hometown of San Francisco as a member of the 49ers. After retiring, he was inducted into the College and NFL Hall of Fame and became a broadcasting analyst for Monday Night Football and the NFL on NBC. He would also appear in acting roles, most notably as Detective Norberg in the Naked Gun trilogy (1988, 1991, and 1994) starring Lesley Nielsen and a pitchman for Hertz Rental Car.

 

The Brentwood Story

The charming, affable reputation Simpson fostered in the mainstream media was irreparably tarnished on June 12, 1994, after the brutal murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, outside Nicole’s Brentwood, California residence.

Simpson became the prime suspect in the double homicide and led police on a low-speed car chase in his white Ford Bronco that was driven by his friend, Al Cowlings. He eventually surrendered to police but the media circus surrounding him was just beginning.


The OJ Simpson trial captivated America as he assembled a legal dream team in his defense including Johnny Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, Robert Blasier, Shawn Chapman Holley, Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz, and Robert Kardashian.

Police malfeasance coupled with a pivotal moment in which a glove found at the scene of the murder did not fit Simpson’s hand proved to be a bridge too far for the state to overcome. After eight months and roughly 150 witnesses taking the stand, Simpson was stunningly acquitted on October 3, 1995.

However, he would subsequently be found guilty in a civil trial and was ordered to pay $25 million in punitive damages to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. OJ Simpson’s kids and many of his close friends remained loyal to him until the end.

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