O.J. Simpson, 1947-2024, dies after cancer battle

O.J. Simpson has died, his family has announced. Simpson was 76 years old, and was reportedly battling prostate cancer.

Simpson is the one of biggest cultural figures of the last 50+ years of American life. He’s one of the greatest NFL running backs of all-time: he won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 at USC, became the No. 1 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft, was named NFL MVP in 1973 when he became the first back to top 2000 rushing yards in a season, and retired as No. 2 NFL’s all-time rushing list after spending most of his career with the Buffalo Bills and the his final seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Team.

Simpson was involved in one of the most infamous murder cases of our time after his playing career was over. He was arrested and charged with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994. Simpson was acquitted in 1995 in a controversial decision. He was later found liable for both of their deaths in a civil suit in 1997.

Simpson’s refusal to turn himself in after Brown and Goldman’s death led to an iconic police chase in his white Ford Bronco SUV down the 405 Freeway.

The life and times of Simpson have been covered extensively in pop culture. He was the subject of a 7.5-hour ESPN 30 For 30 documentary “O.J.: Made in America.” His trial was dramatized in the Emmy-winning FX show “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” in 2016. Simpson was also the co-author of the 2007 book titled If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer in which he offered a “hypothetical description” of the murders of Brown and Goldman.

Simpson served nine years in jail starting in 2008 after being convicted and sentenced following charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. He allegedly was involved with a group of men who stole sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas hotel and casino. He claimed the items were initially stolen from him and he was getting them back, but was sentenced to 33 years in prison and released on parole in 2017.

We’ll update this story as it develops.