OJ Simpson has died. The controversial former NFL star passed away following a battle with cancer. He was 76-year-old.
While Simpson rose to prominence thanks to his NFL career, it was his murder trial that captivated the public consciousness and pop culture. Simpson went to trial on the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman. Ultimately, the courts acquitted the former athlete.
Simpson's family confirmed his passing on X. They wrote, "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. 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 Simpson Family."
Given the fact he was a controversial figure, the family opted to turn off the comments section. Simpson would end up serving nine years in prison on a robbery charge after the infamous acquittal. He was released in 2017 and mostly kept a low profile in his final years of life.
OJ Simson Dies From Cancer
However, media outlets reported Simpson was fighting prostate cancer and not doing well. He was undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments. Rumors began spreading that the cancer was worse than Simpson admitted and that he was going into hospice care. Simpson denied it.
"Hospice! You talking about hospice?" Simpson questioned to reporters about the rumor. "No, I'm not even in the hospital. I don't know who put that out there." At the time, Simpson was preparing for a Super Bowl viewing party. He appeared to be happy and said he had invited over a ton of friends.
Simpson announced in May 2023 that he was fighting cancer. In a video, he said he was struggling with the effects of chemotherapy. The athlete used marijuana to combat the symptoms. "I had to do the whole chemo thing ... I started smoking a couple of puffs a day, and I only had nausea twice. I'm over the chemo. I only got nauseous on two occasions. ... The pot really helped me with the unfortunate side of catching cancer.
"I'm healthy now," he continued. "It looks like I beat it. I'm happy about that."
