Evangeline Lilly
$14 million
O.J. Simpson’s estate net worth at the time of his death in April 2024 was estimated between $500,000 and $1 million. Born Orenthal James Simpson in San Francisco, California, he was a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, broadcaster, and actor whose Hall-of-Fame NFL career was permanently overshadowed by his 1994–1995 criminal trial for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman — the most widely televised American legal proceeding of the 20th century. Simpson died of prostate cancer on April 10, 2024, at his Las Vegas home at age 76.
Updated March 2026: According to NBC News, O.J. Simpson’s estate in November 2025 accepted a claim of approximately $58 million from Ron Goldman’s father Fred Goldman, stemming from the 1997 civil wrongful death judgment. The estate’s actual liquid assets were far less — estimated at $500,000 to $1 million at death — making the $58 million claim largely symbolic given available funds.
Orenthal James Simpson was born on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, California. He grew up in the Potrero Hill housing projects, one of four children of Jimmy Lee Simpson and Eunice Durden. As a child he suffered from rickets, and wore leg braces until age five. He attended Galileo High School in San Francisco, where he excelled as a running back. He enrolled at City College of San Francisco (1965–1966) and then transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he became one of college football’s most celebrated players. At USC he won the 1968 Heisman Trophy, rushed for 3,295 yards over two seasons, and was a two-time All-American. He was selected first overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 1969 AFL–NFL Draft.
O.J. Simpson played 11 NFL seasons — nine with the Buffalo Bills (1969–1977) and two with the San Francisco 49ers (1978–1979). He was selected to six Pro Bowls and became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a 14-game season, setting the record with 2,003 rushing yards in 1973, a performance that earned him NFL MVP honors. Over his career he accumulated 11,236 rushing yards, 61 rushing touchdowns, and 14,368 yards from scrimmage. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. Following retirement, he transitioned to broadcasting (NBC Sports, Monday Night Football analysis) and acting, with film roles in the Naked Gun comedy franchise (1988, 1991, 1994) among his most recognized screen appearances.
O.J. Simpson married Marguerite L. Whitley in 1967; they divorced in 1979 and had three children together: Arnelle (b. 1968), Jason (b. 1970), and Aaren (b. 1977), who drowned in the family pool at age two in 1979. In 1985, Simpson married Nicole Brown, with whom he had two children: Sydney Brooke (b. 1985) and Justin Ryan (b. 1988). He and Nicole divorced in 1992. Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered on June 12, 1994, along with her friend Ron Goldman. Simpson was acquitted in the criminal trial (October 1995) but found liable in civil court (February 1997). He was later convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in Nevada in 2008 and served nine years in prison before being granted parole in 2017. He spent his final years in Las Vegas. He died on April 10, 2024, at age 76 from prostate cancer.
O.J. Simpson’s estate was valued at approximately $500,000 to $1 million at the time of his death in April 2024. His wealth had been significantly eroded by an estimated $5–6 million in criminal defense legal costs, the 1997 civil wrongful death judgment of $33.5 million (which grew to approximately $58 million with interest), and years of limited professional income. His NFL and SAG pensions were protected from the civil judgment under federal law.
O.J. Simpson was married twice. His first wife was Marguerite Whitley, whom he married in 1967 and divorced in 1979; they had three children together, including daughter Aaren who died at age two. His second wife was Nicole Brown, whom he married in 1985 and divorced in 1992; they had two children, Sydney and Justin. Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered in June 1994, and Simpson was acquitted of her murder in October 1995.
O.J. Simpson was 76 years old when he died on April 10, 2024. He was born on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, California. He died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, from prostate cancer.
O.J. Simpson stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed approximately 212 pounds (96 kg) during his playing days with the Buffalo Bills. His size, speed, and agility combined to make him one of the most dominant running backs of the NFL’s pre-free agency era.
O.J. Simpson was the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season, recording 2,003 rushing yards in the 1973 season across 14 games — a record that stood until Eric Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards in a 16-game season in 1984. Simpson also won NFL MVP in 1973, was selected to six Pro Bowls, and accumulated 11,236 career rushing yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
In November 2025, O.J. Simpson’s estate agreed to accept a claim of approximately $58 million filed by Fred Goldman, father of murder victim Ron Goldman, stemming from the 1997 civil wrongful death judgment. The estate’s actual assets are estimated at far less than the claim amount, meaning the Goldman family is unlikely to recover the full sum. The 1997 civil judgment of $33.5 million had been largely uncollected during Simpson’s lifetime as he shielded income through legally protected pension payments and homestead exemptions.