OJ Simpson: Decorated Athlete With a Controversial Past and An Ignominious Legacy

Orenthal James Simpson better known as O.J. Simpson succumbed to cancer at age 76. His family confirmed his death in a statement issued early on Thursday, April 11. The former NFL player was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died after battling it for almost a year.

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O.J. Simpson as a sportsperson

O.J. Simpson's life narrative, which combines exceptional athletic achievement with perennial controversy, began on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, California. His journey to notoriety began at the University of Southern California (USC), when his success as a college football player thrust him into the national spotlight. His exceptional athleticism on the field, including a legendary game-winning touchdown against rival UCLA, cemented his reputation as one of the most explosive athletes of his generation.

Simpson's professional career began with difficulties after the Buffalo Bills selected him first overall in the 1969 NFL selection. However, under the tutelage of coach Lou Saban, he thrived, accomplishing exploits that would cement his place in football history.

Notably, Simpson's record-breaking 1973 season, in which he became the first player to run for 2,000 yards in a single NFL season, is an unforgettable reminder of his athletic ability. In totality, Simpson featured in 11 NFL seasons and primarily represented the Buffalo Bills. He won several accolades as a professional NFL player. Most notably, he became the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1973, and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1973 too.

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Brilliance on the field turned him into a brand

Brilliance on the field disseminated his commercial appeal and it extended beyond athletics and elevated him to the status of a cultural icon. His ground-breaking endorsement arrangements, such as the iconic Hertz rental car campaign, transformed celebrity advertising and widened his appeal to a diverse audience.

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Controversies hampered sports legacy forever

The NFL superstar's life had been marred with various controversies and it can be said that at one point of time he became symbol of domestic violence and racial division. Simpson accused of murdering his ex-wife and her friend was later found not guilty but this case had legal and cultural repercussions for many more years to follow. 

A substantial part of the NFL star's life revolves around the controversies revolving around kidnapping and armed robbery which was not connected to the death of his ex-wife as proven later. NFL star Simpson was later released in October 2017 from the Lovelock Correctional Center outside Reno. Simpson's story by no means is ordinary, it justifies an old saying, 'how the mighty have fallen'. One of the greatest running backs in football history, an actor who starred in more than 20 Hollywood movies and later a popular sports media personality had his reputation dented due to double-murder charges.

The famous Buffalo Bills' No. 1 overall pick and a a five-time All-Pro in his nine seasons, Simpson was accused of killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in a brutal knife attack in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles. Much to Simpsons' misfortune, bloodstains and other physical evidence linked him to the crime but a Black jury believed that the NFL star was being framed. After a eight month trial period that was televised all across the states, it took the jury less than 3 hours to acquit Simpson of the double murder charges. The verdict soon gave rise to debates on the gaps between many Blacks and Whites regarding racism and police conduct.

Simpson's troubles did not end with the double murder charges, he was eventually termed guilty in a civil case against Goldman's family, and had to pay out £26.7 million to the families. The Bills' star was later arrested for armed robbery in 2008.

In the years since, Simpson's narrative has been a source of interest, generating various television adaptations and films attempting to explain the nuances of his life and legacy.