American professional football player, broadcaster, and actor, who is considered one of the greatest running backs in National Football League (NFL) history. Born Orenthal James Simpson in San Francisco, California, he played football at the University of Southern California, where his accomplishments as a running back led to his selection as an All-American in 1967 and 1968. He won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in 1968 and was the first player selected in the professional football draft in 1969.
Playing for the Buffalo Bills, the team that drafted him, Simpson was the NFL's rushing leader in the 1972 season, with 1251 yards gained. In 1973 he became the first player to rush for more than 2000 yards in a single season, finishing with 2003. In 1975 Simpson set a record for touchdowns in one season, with 23 (since broken), while rushing for 1817 yards. Although frequently selected to the Pro Bowl team, he was frustrated by the failure of the Bills to reach the Super Bowl. His request for a trade to a West Coast team was met in 1978 when the Bills traded Simpson to the San Francisco 49ers. He played his final two years with the 49ers, retiring after the 1979 season due to injuries. After his football career, he became a television broadcaster and actor and appeared in many advertisements for commercial products. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.