Within hours of O.J. Simpson's family announcing Thursday that he had died of cancer at the age of 76, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that he had passed away from cancer at age 76. Some of the groups that have been celebrating heisman trophy trust – Issued a statement or expressed condolences to loved ones.
The University of Southern California, the Buffalo Bills, and the NFL, among others, did not.
It's nothing new. For decades, football officials who have admired or associated with Simpson have continued to acknowledge his accomplishments on the field, while conspicuously avoiding the spotlight. — or from fame to notoriety, which never substantively acknowledged the 1994 double murder and acquittal that robbed him of it.
From his time as a college player at the University of Southern California to the Buffalo Bills, where he won four rushing titles, Simpson has never been erased from any record books or removed from the Hall of Fame due to legal issues. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, no bronze statue was erected in his honor. It's a tacit recognition that his accomplishments off the soccer field dwarf his statistics on the soccer field.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame issued a news release shortly after Simpson's death, as it does after the deaths of other members. However, there is no mention of anything that happened after his retirement, such as the serial murders that became a cultural phenomenon.
NFL Draft Hub: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades, and analysis.
“O.J. Simpson was the first player to surpass 2,000 yards rushing, a mark that many thought would be impossible to achieve in a 14-game season,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. ” he said. “His contributions on the field will be preserved in the Hall's archives in Canton, Ohio.”
Hall of Fame spokesman Rich Desrosiers said the Canton museum is not aware of Simpson's legal issues, but clarified that material on Hall of Fame members revolves primarily around his accomplishments on the field. . For example, online player biographies rarely mention a Hall of Famer's post-retirement life.
Simpson was ultimately acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and one of her friends, Ron Goldman, in what became colloquially known as the trial of the century. A 1997 incident in which he was later found responsible for the death in a civil court.
Roughly 10 years later, he was sentenced to prison in connection with a botched armed robbery.
University of Southern California
After Simpson was paroled in 2017, then-Trojans football coach Clay Helton told reporters the school's former star running back was not welcome back on campus.
“Right now, with USC, what the administration and the athletic department are saying is, no, O.J. is not part of our function. That's the statement,” Helton said at the time.
However, Simpson remains a member of the USC Athletics Hall of Fame. And the Los Angeles Times reported in 2019 that his jersey remains on display at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum alongside the jerseys of other former Trojans who won the Heisman Trophy. (A spokesperson for the athletics department did not respond to a message seeking clarification on whether this is still the case.)
According to 247Sports, Simpson's No. 32 is also one of five jersey numbers retired by USC.
Timeline of O.J. Simpson's life: From the Heisman to the white Bronco pursuit and murder trial.
buffalo bills
Simpson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Buffalo Bills and spent the majority of his 11-year professional career with the Bills, earning six Pro Bowl selections and one MVP award in nine seasons.
In 1980, he was inducted into the team's “Wall of Fame,” which was created “to honor former players, managers, and coaches who have played an important role in the team's history.” He remains a member of the group and his name appears on the interior wall of Highmark Stadium, but in recent years there have been calls from state legislators and others to remove him from the Wall of Fame in 2021. is also rising.
“While Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman, a civil jury found him legally responsible for their deaths,” said Congressman Patrick Burke. said in the letter. Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula demand changes. “O.J. Simpson's name remaining on the wall sends a painful and distorted message to victims of domestic violence that abuse is acceptable.”
But unlike USC, the Bills haven't retired Simpson's jersey number. After a 42-year hiatus, running back Senorise Perry was told his number was available in 2019 and decided to wear it. This number currently belongs to cornerback Kyron Brown.
A Bills spokesperson did not immediately respond to a message Thursday asking if the team had any comment on Simpson's death or whether the former running back would be honored in some way at the team facility beyond the Wall of Fame. I didn't.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.
