Orenthal James Simpson, fondly known as O.J. Simpson, was a controversial American footballer and media personality. He shot into the limelight as an NFL player, but his legal challenges kept him there and tainted his reputation. Simpson was at the center of the “trial of the century” after the accusation of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter & friend Ron Goldman. Despite his acquittal, he remained linked to the case and even after his death, many still debate the facts of the case. Let’s find out more about O.J. Simpson’s life.
Early Life of O.J. Simpson
O.J. Simpsons was born on 9 July 1947, in San Francisco, California. His aunt gave him the name Orenthal, borrowed from her favorite French actor. O.J.’s parents were Jimmy Lee Simpsons and Eunice Simpsons. His father was a Federal Reserve Bank custodian and his mother was a hospital attendant in a psychiatric ward.
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He had three siblings, Melvin Leon “Truman” Simpson, Shirley Simpson-Baker and Carmelita Simpson-Durio. They grew up in a lower-income neighborhood of Potrero Hill. Aside from the financial challenges, O.J. developed health problems. He had rickets and wore leg braces.
At the age of 4, O.J. Simpson’s parents separated and they were raised by his mother. During his teenage years, the former player joined a gang and was imprisoned at the San Francisco Youth Guidance Center. He was arrested thrice and never went back.
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O.J. Simpson’s College Career
His first experience of playing football came at the Potrero Hill Recreation Center. He then went to Galileo High School, where he displayed his football-playing talent. He wasn’t the best academically, but he dominated the game so much so that the University of Southern California (USC) took him as a halfback.
The player was a star at the USC Trojans, finishing as an All-American National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), a unanimous All-American, a Walter Camp Award and a Heisman Trophy winner.
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O.J. Simpson’s NFL Career
In 1969, the Buffalo Bills drafted Simpson as the number 1 pick. Contrary to expectation, he didn’t hit the ground running. A man who demanded the largest contract in history ($650,000) at the time, struggled for the first three years of his professional career, averaging 622 yards per season.
It wasn’t until 1971 that O.J. Simpson started performing. The Bills head coach Lou Saban built the surrounding team. In 1972, he recorded 1000 yards and then broke the 2000-yard marker the following year. He broke Jim Brown’s record of 1,863 yards.
More records came for O.J. Simpson as he registered 23 touchdowns and 273 rushing yards. These records have since been broken. In 1978, O.J. Simpson left the Bills and went to San Francisco This was his last team. He made 1,053 yards and 4 touchdowns. He played his last game on 16 December 1979.
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Accolades
O.J. collected numerous awards in the NFL including:
- 1975: NFL Scoring Leader.
- 1973: NFL Most Valuable Player.
- 1973: NFL Most Offensive Player of the Year.
- 1973: AP Athlete of the Year
- 1973: Bert Bell Award
- 1972 – 1976: First-team All-Pro
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O.J. Simpson’s Acting Career
O.J. began his acting career before he left the NFL. While at USC, he acted in Dragnet and Medical Center. He went on and acted in movies like The Klansman, and The Naked Gun among others. He was the first black athlete to chart this path. The ex-athlete also appeared on the Hertz Commercials and also worked as a sports broadcaster. He was a commentator on Monday Night Football.
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O.J. Simpson’s Family
The late former athlete married twice. Marguerite Whitley was his first wife whom he married on 24 June 1967, and had three children together; Jason, Aaren and Arnelle. The couple lost their second-born daughter, Aaren who drowned in the family swimming pool. They divorced in 1979.
His second wife was the late Nicole Brown. They met when he was still married to Marguerite and went on to have a relationship. Simpson and Nicole had a 12-year age gap and got married in February 1985 and had two children, Sydney Simpson and Justin Simpson.
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Domestic Violence
His ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson complained about abuse. The police were invited to the home and was charged with spousal battery. He was sent for community service and slapped with a $200 fine. Their marriage eventually broke down. Nicole filed for divorce in 1992 and received $10,000 monthly in child support and their home.
Murder and Trial
On 13 June 1994, Nicole Brown and Simpson’s friend Ron Goldman were found dead, stubbed outside a condo in Los Angeles. O.J. was the initial suspect that led to the infamous chase. The prosecutors ordered to surrender but he escaped, leading to a car chase on the Santa Ana Freeway.
He surrendered himself on June 17 and was found with a gun, $9,000 and a passport. Despite this, Simpson remained adamant that he wasn’t running and didn’t commit the double murders.
Trial of the Century
The deceased player had the money to hire the best legal minds and he did; Robert Shapiro, Robert Kardashian, Barry Scheck and Johnnie Cochran, F. Lee Bailey and Alan Dershowitz. All evidence pointed towards him, including gloves found in his home. However, in a twist of events, his team told the jury that if the glove didn’t fit, he should be acquitted. The Simpson’s trial ended with an acquittal.
Sentences Post Acquittal
O.J. Simpson escaped jail time for the alleged murder of his ex-wife and Goldman, but he ended up serving time for other charges. In 1997, he was ordered to pay $33 million for damages and wrongful death.
He wasn’t able to get his career back and his troubled character went on. His temper came to the fore again, after beating a driver but was acquitted. It seems he didn’t learn from his legal troubles. In 2008, he was sentenced to 33 years with a chance of acquittal after nine years after he was charged guilty of 12 counts of armed robbery and kidnapping.
Prison Release
After almost a decade behind bars, O.J. Simpson was released. Many people were interested in making a documentary about his life but he ignored the requests. He lived quietly but then made news headlines again in 2017 for violence at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas. O.J. filed a lawsuit alleging the hotel damaged his reputation. Both parties settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. In 2021, he was granted early release for his robbery conviction, making him a free man.
Cancer Diagnosis
In March 2023, O.J. Simpson revealed he was battling cancer but didn’t reveal the specifics. Reports pointed to him having prostate cancer but he denied the rumours. The former athlete insisted he was in good condition. Two months on, his family announced his death, stating he passed on 10 April 2024. Simpson left a huge amount of debt, estimated to be between $114 and 200 million, due to the legal fee and money he owed to Brown and Goldman families.
Books
Books and movies have been written and made about O.J. Simpson. They are:
- If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer.
- The Lost Confession
- O.J: Made in America
- The People vs O.J. Simpson
O.J. Simpson probably ranks high in a list of the most controversial athletes of all time. The former NFL star’s legal troubles began way before he was a celebrity. Despite his multiple talents, his reputation was damaged by his legal problems and he failed to recover. His name still elicits a lot of debate and remains a controversial figure even after his passing.
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