(NEXSTAR) — O.J. Simpson has died, his family announced on social media Thursday morning. He was 76.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” a post on X attributed to his family reads. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”
FILE – In this July 20, 2017, file photo, former NFL football star O.J. Simpson appears via video for his parole hearing at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock, Nev. (Jason Bean/The Reno Gazette-Journal via AP, Pool, File)
Additional details were not immediately available.
Simpson, who stood trial for the double-murder of his ex-wife and her friend in the 1990s, was reportedly in Las Vegas at the time of his passing, according to TMZ.
The former NFL player was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year and undergoing chemotherapy. In a Feb. 9 post to X, Simpson spoke out against rumors that he was in hospice care, saying at the time that “all is well” and that he was not in hospice.
In a video posted a couple of days later, Simpson said, “Obviously, I’m dealing with some issues, but I think I’m just about over it.”
Simpson, a San Francisco native, originally captured the nation’s attention when he won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 while playing for the University of Southern California. He was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft the following year by the Buffalo Bills.
The running back became a leading rusher in the league during the 1970s and was named MVP in 1973. During his time in the NFL, Simpson made six Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro selection five times. He was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
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