OJ Simpson – the legendary chase and sad story of the famous football player
(STL.News) Anyone who follows the NFL knows at least a little of the name Orenthal James Simpson. This legendary running back achieved outstanding results in sports and also succeeded in other areas of activity. However, his story as a true hero and beloved by millions was spoiled by numerous problems with the law, due to which OJ Simpson’s reputation was seriously damaged. We invite you to study the sad story of the NFL legend in more detail and highlight its key events.
NFL career
After going through all the stages of college football leagues, OJ Simpson finally got to the NFL. It happened in 1969 when the future legendary running back joined the Buffalo Bills. It took three long years to adapt Simpson’s actions to the peculiarities of the team’s game. In 1972, experts’ expectations were met, and OJ became one of the best players in the league. In 1973, Simpson achieved an outstanding achievement. He became the first player in history to reach the 2,000-yard mark. Thanks to this, OJ deservedly received the title of MVP of the season and forever entered the history of the NFL.
Over the next three years, Simpson maintained a consistently high level of play. He managed to do this despite various injuries, forcing him to miss some games. For the same reason, OJ played only seven games in the 1977 season. In 1978, Simpson joined the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for two seasons. After that, he stopped his sports career, citing various physical problems.
Despite his relatively short career in the NFL, OJ Simpson became one of the league’s legends. He held various records for a long time and received well-deserved recognition. In 1985, he became a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and in 2019, he was included in the list of the best players of the century.
Career outside of sports
In addition to sports, OJ Simpson starred in various films. He began doing this long before he got into the NFL. His first professional job was a cameo role in “Medical Center.” After Simpson became a football star, he began to be invited to film more actively. So, from 1974 to 1978, he played in “Roots,” “The Klansman,” and “The Cassandra Crossing,” as well as in several other films.
In 1979, OJ founded his own film company, which he called “Orenthal Productions”. It was engaged in filming simple family films. They were not super popular, but many NFL fans watched them due to their connection with Simpson. In the 80s, OJ’s main acting job was the role of a detective in the trilogy “The Naked Gun.” There were also rumors that Simpson was considered for the lead role in “Terminator,” where he would have to confront a brutal killer robot, played brilliantly by Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, due to Simpson’s excessive charm, his candidacy was rejected. In the 90s, OJ played several more memorable roles. However, the events of 1994, which we will discuss further, ended his acting career.
Trouble with the law
Suspected of double murder
OJ Simpson was a legendary player and a good actor but never a law-abiding citizen.
In May 1994, he separated from his wife, Nicole Brown, whom he had repeatedly abused. This event marked the beginning of a story that would cause irreparable damage to Simpson’s reputation. In June of the same year, Nicole Brown and her friend were found dead. The killer had stabbed the woman multiple times and almost completely cut off her head. The only suspect in this case was OJ Simpson, who did not admit his guilt and put forward his version of events. However, the evidence collected by the police left no doubt about the footballer’s involvement in the murder and made it possible to obtain an arrest warrant for the famous athlete. Despite this, Simpson continued to remain at large. He hid from the police and did not contact his lawyer.
Legendary chase
The search for OJ Simpson did not last long. Just four days after the murder, he was found on Highway 405 in a Ford Bronco driven by his friend and former football teammate Al Cowlings. The men ignored the police calls to stop, which resulted in the most famous chase in history. It was shown live on most TV channels. Some even stopped the broadcast of the NBA Finals, switching to the police chase of the legendary NFL player. Thousands of people on the street and almost 100 million people in front of their TV screens watched the arrest of OJ Simpson live. In the end, after more than an hour of pursuit, he voluntarily surrendered to the police. This event made the Ford Bronco one of the best-selling cars of that time. It is still actively bought at online auctions, where Chevrolet Bel Air used cars and other legendary models are sold.
Trial
Preliminary hearings in the OJ Simpson case began a few days after his arrest. The witnesses questioned gave fictitious versions one by one, each of which was ignored. This continued for six long months until the trial began in early 1995. It was full of scandals and strange events. Despite much direct evidence of OJ Simpson’s involvement in the double murder (Simpson’s blood in Nicole Brown’s house, bloody traces on the football player’s car, DNA test results and much more), the judges, most of whom were black, like OJ, found the athlete not guilty. At the same time, no sane person had any doubts that such a decision was wrong.
The end of the OJ Simpson story
After OJ Simpson was acquitted, he repeatedly faced various problems. Just a year after the end of the trial, the Santa Monica civil court satisfied the family’s claim for $33.5 million from the football player, thereby effectively recognizing OJ’s guilt. In 2007, Simpson continued his criminal activity. He and his friends broke into a Las Vegas hotel and stole various valuables from it. The police managed to detain the NFL legend, after which he was charged with multiple crimes. The trial of him and his friends lasted until the end of 2008. As a result, Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison. However, after nine years, he achieved parole and was released.
After leaving prison, OJ Simpson was an inconspicuous figure. He struggled with various diseases, as a result of which, in 2018, he began to have problems with memory and speech. In 2023, the former athlete was diagnosed with cancer. He immediately began treatment and expressed confidence that he could overcome the disease. However, at the beginning of 2024, his condition worsened. OJ Simpson canceled several planned events but continued claiming he felt well. On April 10, he died at his home in Las Vegas. This event marked the end of the long and sad story of the legendary football player.
OJ Simpson is a man who has achieved excellent results in sports and cinema throughout his life. For a long time, he was an idol for millions of Americans. Still, after a criminal case and a dubious acquittal, he became the main disappointment for many. His life story was filled with various events that left an ambiguous impression of this person. After the death of OJ Simpson, some of the negativity will be forgotten, but his sports and acting achievements will remain eternal.
USPRess.News covered this story as well.
