O.J. Simpson dies at 76
O.J. Simpson, one of the most infamous Americans of all time, has died after a battle with cancer.
O.J. Simpson, the decorated football star, died on Thursday at the age of 76.
Simpson is 2-time U.S. Champion from the University of Southern California and won the 1968 Heisman Trophy.
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was one of the most touted rookies in football when the Buffalo Bills selected him with the first overall pick in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft.
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FILE-OJ Simpson of the Buffalo Bills runs during the game against the San Diego Chargers in San Diego, California. (Photo courtesy: Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
In 11 NFL seasons, Simpson ends his professional career 11,236 rushing yards, 2,142 receiving yards, and 990 kick return yards. He also gained 14,368 yards and 76 touchdowns (61 rushing, 14 receiving, and 1 kick return) in 135 games.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame noted that Simpson led the NFL in rushing four times from 1972 to 1976, and his 7,699 rushing yards during that time was first in the league.
Simpson became the first running back in league history to rush for over 2,000 yards in 1973, winning the season MVP award. With 419 rushing yards in the final two games of the season, Simpson finished the season with 2,003 yards, breaking Jim Brown's single-season rushing record (1,863 in 1963).
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That year, he averaged 143.1 rushing yards per game, which remains the highest in NFL history.
When Simpson's career ended, he made six Pro Bowl appearances (1969, 1972-1976) and was named first-team All-Pro five times (1972-1976).
The San Francisco native was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 and was named to the 1970s NFL All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team and NFL 100 All-Time Team.
This article was reported from Washington, DC
