O.J. Simpson's Most Outrageous Pop Culture Moments That We Can't Forget

Simpson’s relationship with Nicole Brown, who was white, instantly sparked controversy among Black and white Americans. In 2016, Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote about how Simpson’s marriage to a white woman impacted the public’s perception of his racial identity.

“Nicole Brown was proof to the world that Simpson, among the millions of black men caught in the maze of American racism, had risen above it,” Coates wrote. “What sort of abuse—verbal and physical—was going on behind the mansion gates, almost no one, black or white, guessed. Or much cared.”

Prior to the murder trial, Simpson was primarily known for his successful football career. In 1973, he became the first player in NFL history to break the 2,000 rushing yard barrier, earning himself the MVP award.

Simpson retired from playing football in 1979. He left with the second all-time rushing record.

Simpson was a household name before his murder trial. In 1978, he starred in a Hertz commercial, that many people found incredibly comical at the time.

Simpson also had a somewhat successful comedic acting career. He acted opposite Leslie Nielson in the Naked Gun series — portraying the character of Officer Nordberg.

Simpson and Olympian Caitlyn Jenner had a notably jovial interview back in 1981. The pair’s lives would later be incredibly intertwined. Jenner went on to marry and eventually divorce Kris Jenner, who was close friends with Nicole Brown Simpson and whose ex-husband represented Simpson in court.

One of the most notable moments from Simpson’s criminal murder trial was when he did a courtroom glove fitting. The gloves were found at the scene of Brown Simpson’s murder, and prosecutors attempted to tie them to Simpson. In court he appeared to struggle to put them on, and his lawyer infamously said “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

The white Bronco car chase is arguably one of the most enduring pop-culture moments from the 1990s. Simpson and police engaged in a slow-speed car chase that captured national attention.

In an attempt by Simpson to clear his name, he was interviewed by sportscaster Chris Myers. However, the interview went terribly wrong for Simpson, who many felt appeared guilty.

Simpson was arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery for a 2007 incident at a casino hotel to steal thousands of dollars of his own sports memorabilia.

In a shocking Fox News interview that was released 12 years after it was taped, Simpson offered a “hypothetical” explanation for Brown Simpson’s death. In the tape, Simpson says he took a knife into Brown Simpson’s home and blacked out. “I don’t remember, except I’m standing there and there’s all kinda stuff around. Blood and stuff,” he said.

In a 2023 interview, Simpson addressed his rumored affair with Kris Jenner, the ex-wife of his late-friend Robert Kardashian. “The rumor ain’t true,” he said, “No, where close to being true.”

Oprah televised her audience’s reaction to the O.J. Simpson trial verdict. The extremely different reactions to the not guilty verdict, between white and Black audience members, showcased the racial divide over the case.

A massive plot point in the Simpson saga, was the release of his book If I did It: Confessions of a Killer, a detailed “hypothetical” confession of the murder of his ex-wife and her friend.

In his last interview, Simpson’s advice to men was “don’t confess.”