Magic Johnson praying for O.J. Simpson's family following his untimely death after battle with cancer
O.J. Simpson passed away on Thursday. The NFL world woke up to shocking news, with Simpson's family announcing that the former Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers running back died on Wednesday, April 10, following a battle with cancer. The announcement was made on Simpson's Twitter profile as they asked for privacy.
The announcement led to plenty of reflections on social media, as Simpson was - and always will be - a controversial figure for the events that transpired after his playing career ended. The reactions were mixed: some felt empathy for the family, while others did not care at all. Which is pretty normal when you look at polarizing figures.
One of the guys who was willing to sit on the more peaceful side and just send a nice, heartwarming note to the family was Magic Johnson, who grew up right at the time that O.J. Simpson was a superstar on the field. He posted a message to the family on Twitter.
O.J. Simpson's NFL career stats in review
The former running back played in the league for 11 seasons and was a big star during his time. He won the MVP award in 1973, the same year he won the Comeback Player of the Year award. Furthermore, he became the first player to eclipse the 2,000 rushing yards mark.
From 1972 to 1976, while playing for the Buffalo Bills, he was voted to the First Team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl all five years. He was one of the most dominant players of the 70s, leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns multiple times during that span.
However, O.J. Simpson remained in the spotlight once his career was over, for all the wrong reasons. The main controversy surrounded the murder of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, who were both stabbed to death at her home. Simpson was later acquitted in a trial that lasted eight months.
The legal problems did not end there for him, though. In 2007, he was convicted after leading five men into an armed robbery in Las Vegas. He remained in prison until 2017, when he was released.