Today in our History – December 16, 1973 - Orenthal James Simpson, nicknamed "The Juice", breaks NFL rushing record.

GM – LIF– Today’s American Champion is ?an American former?football?running back, broadcaster, actor, advertising spokesman, and convicted felon. Once a popular figure with the U.S. public, he is now best known for?being tried for the murders?of his former wife,?Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend,?Ron Goldman. Simpson was acquitted of the murders in criminal court, but was later found responsible for both deaths in?a civil trial.

He attended the?University of Southern California?(USC), where he played football for the?USC Trojans?and won the?Heisman Trophy?in 1968. He played professionally as a running back in the?National Football League?(NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the?Buffalo Bills?from 1969 to 1977.

He also played for the?San Francisco 49ers?from 1978 to 1979. In 1973, he became the first NFL player to?rush?for more than?2,000 yards?in a season. He holds the record for the single season yards-per-game average, which stands at 143.1. He was the only player to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in the 14-game regular season NFL format.

He was inducted into the?College Football Hall of Fame?in 1983 and the?Pro Football Hall of Fame?in 1985. After retiring from football, he began new careers in acting and football broadcasting.

In 1994, he was arrested and charged with the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. He was acquitted by a jury after a lengthy and internationally publicized trial. The families of the victims subsequently filed a civil suit against him.

A?civil court?awarded a $33.5 million judgment against him in 1997 for the victims' wrongful deaths. In 2000, he moved to Florida and settled in Miami to avoid paying any more of the liability judgment, which as of 2021 he has mostly not paid.

In 2007, he was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with the?felonies?of armed robbery and kidnapping.?In 2008,?he was convicted and sentenced?to 33 years' imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without?parole.?

He served his sentence at the?Lovelock Correctional Center?near?Lovelock, Nevada.?Simpson was granted parole on July 20, 2017. He was eligible for release from prison on October 1, 2017, and was released on that date.

Today in our History – December 16, 1973 - Orenthal James Simpson?(born July 9, 1947), nicknamed "The Juice", breaks NFL rushing record.

On December 16, 1973, the Buffalo Bills running back?Orenthal James “OJ” Simpson?becomes the first player in the National Football League (NFL) to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.

After leading the University of Southern?California?(USC) Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory and winning the Heisman Trophy, Simpson was drafted by Buffalo as the first pick in the 1969 NFL draft.

He struggled for several seasons on weak Buffalo teams but first rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 1972, ending the season with a league-leading 1,251. The following year, he totaled 219 rushing yards against the New England Patriots in the next-to-last game of the season, putting his total at 1,803. On December 16, with the Bills facing the?New York?Jets in New York’s Shea Stadium, Simpson rushed for another 200 yards, for a record-setting total of 2,003.

Simpson had another banner year in 1975, with 1,817 yards rushing, 426 yards on receptions and a then-record 23 touchdowns. All told, he led the league in rushing four times (1972, 1973, 1975 and 1976) during his eight years with Buffalo, and was named NFL Player of the Year in 1972, 1973 and 1975.

Plagued by injuries, Simpson was limited to seven games in 1977 and the following year was traded to the?San Francisco?49ers. He played only two more seasons in the NFL, gaining a total of just 1,053 yards and averaging less than four yards per carry.

After retiring, Simpson acted and worked as a sportscaster. Though some view him as the greatest football player ever to play the game, he will unfortunately be remembered primarily for something quite different: In June 1994, Simpson was charged with the?brutal murder?of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. After a sensational and divisive criminal trial, he was?acquitted?in October 1995, but was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Research more about this great American Champion and share it with your babies. Make it a champion day!

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