Buffalo Bills exclude O.J. Simpson from Wall of Fame at new stadium despite his historic on-field legacy
The Buffalo Bills will not place O.J. Simpson’s name in their new Highmark Stadium, the team said Saturday, citing his tarnished legacy from the 1994 murders. The Hall of Fame running back was the franchise’s first Wall of Fame inductee in 1980 but his involvement in the high–profile killings overshadowed his football achievements.
The decision
President of business operations Pete Guelli announced on Saturday that the late Hall of Fame running back will be absent from the team’s Wall of Fame when it moves to the new Highmark Stadium. Rather than duplicate the old wall, the Bills will honor past greats in a display inside the "Family Circle" gathering area, but Simpson is not invited.
We have made an organizational decision that he is not a fit to display inside our new stadium and family circle.
The team, now owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, had long distanced itself from Simpson after the murder charges. His name remained on the wall at the old stadium, which is being demolished, but the organization did not acknowledge his occasional presence at games.
A towering football resume
Simpson was the Bills’ first major superstar. After winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy at USC, he was selected first overall in the 1969 NFL Draft and spent nine seasons in Buffalo. He became the first running back to surpass 2,000 yards in a season, rushing for 2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973. A five–time first–team All–Pro and six–time Pro Bowl selection, he amassed 10,183 rushing yards for the Bills, second in franchise history behind Thurman Thomas (11,938 yards). His single–game club record of 273 yards, set in 1976, still ranks sixth in NFL history.
- Inducted as first member of Bills Wall of Fame
- Charged with murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman
- Dies of prostate cancer at age 76; team does not publicly acknowledge passing
- Bills announce Simpson will not be honored at new Highmark Stadium
- First regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium, vs. Detroit Lions
The 1994 murders and civil liability
In 1994 Simpson was charged with the stabbing deaths of his former wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles. He was acquitted in a criminal trial but later found liable for wrongful death in a civil suit and ordered to pay damages of $33.5 million to $34 million to the families. He later served nine years in prison on unrelated charges.
A legacy left behind
Simpson died of prostate cancer in April 2024 at age 76. Neither the Bills nor the University of Southern California publicly acknowledged his passing. The new $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium was inaugurated this week with a ribbon–cutting ceremony and will host its first regular–season game on Sept. 17 against the Detroit Lions.
