OJ SIMPSON DXAD AT 76

Orenthal James Simpson (July 9, 1947 – April 10, 2024) was an American football running back, actor, and broadcaster. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills, and is regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. Once a popular figure with the American public, Simpson's professional success was later overshadowed by his trial and controversial acquittal for the murders of his former wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman in 1994.

O.J. had reportedly been battling prostate cancer in recent years, and his health took a turn for the worse of late -- with him landing in hospice care within the past few months.

Word about O.J.'s cancer diagnosis first made the rounds in February, when a local outlet reported it, although the details were hazy ... as was O.J.'s response to the news at the time, when he denied he was in hospice, but didn't address the cancer report.

Adding to the mystery was the fact O.J. actually touched on a cancer diagnosis in 2023 in a video he posted on X -- when he said he'd "caught" some form of cancer, but suggested he'd beaten it. In any case, the cancer came back and claimed his life about a year later.

O.J. had been looking underweight in the lead-up to his passing ... including during an outing in January when he was spotted using a cane.

The last time O.J. posted was a video of himself talking about Super Bowl LVIII, where he said he was rooting for his former team the San Francisco 49ers. He seemed to be in good spirits then. He was seated in the clip and talking from the backyard of a home.