Social Media Reacts to O.J. Simpson’s Death at 76

Declan Gallagher
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

After O.J. Simpson’s family announced the former NFL star’s death on Thursday, social media quickly reacted to the controversial figure’s passing.

The former running back for the Buffalo Bills died at 76 after a battle with prostate cancer. Simpson is still considered one of the greatest running backs in football’s history, but the controversy surrounding his acquittal over the 1995 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and Ron Goldman largely overshadowed his professional accomplishments.

Some first and foremost celebrated Simpson’s legendary career, which transcended the boundaries of football.

But for others, Simpson’s complicated life was unavoidable, and veneration of his legacy in light of Brown and Goldman's murders was distasteful. There were even a few high-profile names that came out against Simpson on Thursday.

Caitlyn Jenner--the former spouse of Kris Jenner, who was married to Simpson's attorney, Robert Kardashian, at the time of the murder trial--offered a blunt, two-word response to the former athlete's demise. Meanwhile, Fred Goldman, father of Ron Goldman, offered a somber response.

On the other hand, some rushed to the former running back’s defense, saying that today was not the day to reopen past issues.