The family of former NFL RB O.J. Simpson announced on Thursday he passed away at the age of 76 due to cancer.
Simpson is one of the most famous and infamous athletes in American sports history. He finished a decorated playing career which included a Heisman Trophy and Pro Football Hall of Fame selection before transitioning into a successful post-playing career as an actor and broadcaster.
However, he’s most well-known for being charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, and his controversial acquittal in 1994.
Simpson was found liable in a civil suit by Brown’s family. He later ended up in prison after being convicted on robbery and kidnapping charges in a 2007 incident. He was released on parole in 2017.
The Bills drafted Simpson with the first overall pick in 1969 and he went on to play nine years in Buffalo and two in San Francisco.
He rushed for 11,246 yards (4.7 YPC) and 61 touchdowns, adding 203 receptions for 2,142 yards and 14 additional scores.
Simpson was named NFL MVP and offensive player of the year in 1973. He was a five-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. The Pro Football Hall of Fame selected him to the All-Decade team for the 1970s and inducted him into the Hall in 1985.
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