Before murder charges tarnished his legacy, O.J. Simpson was one of the NFL’s greatest running backs

By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

Long before the Bronco chase gripped a national television audience and the “Trial of the Century” captivated the country, O.J. Simpson made his mark on the football field. The Juice was the best running back of his era during an 11-year NFL career mostly played with the Buffalo Bills. He won a national championship and a Heisman Trophy in college and set records in the NFL. But Simpson’s image was forever ruined by charges that he killed his former wife and her male friend in 1994. He was eventually acquitted of murder but Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a separate civil case.