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O.J. Simpson, a Pro Football Hall of Famer known for being acquitted of double murder in 1995 and convicted of armed robbery in 2008, died Wednesday after a battle with cancer, his family announced on social media. He was 76 years old.
A star running back for the Buffalo Bills after winning the Heisman Trophy at USC in 1968, Simpson was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and had been undergoing treatment.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote. “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.”
The No. 1 overall selection in the 1969 NFL Draft, Simpson, nicknamed “Juice,” ranks just outside the NFL’s all-time top 20 in career yards rushing (11,236), famously winning NFL MVP in 1973 while eclipsing 2,000 yards on the season.
Despite his NFL exploits, Simpson is best known for being tried and acquitted for the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman. The pair were stabbed to death outside Brown’s home in Los Angeles on June 12, 1994. After an 11-month trial, Simpson was found not guilty on two counts of first-degree murder on Oct. 3, 1995.
Simpson was later found liable for wrongful death and battery in a 1997 civil lawsuit filed by the Brown and Goldman families; he was ordered to pay nearly $33.5 million in damages.
Exactly 13 years to the day he was acquitted of the murders, Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison after being found guilty of a 2007 armed robbery. He admitted to stealing some of his old sports memorabilia back from a dealer at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.
On the field, Simpson went to five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1972-76, also earning All-Pro honors and eclipsing 1,100 rushing yards per year during that span. He led the league in yards rushing over four separate seasons, and also led the league in rushing touchdowns in both 1973 and 1975, finishing with 75 combined career scores. Simpson was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, six years after finishing his professional career with the San Francisco 49ers.
Prior to his NFL run, Simpson won the Heisman Trophy for the Trojans, and his No. 32 jersey was later retired by USC. Outside of football, he also appeared in more than 30 films and TV shows as an actor, including “The Naked Gun” comedy series. He was also well known for his TV commercials, appearing in numerous spots as a pitchman for Hertz rental cars.
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