In the wake of O.J. Simpson’s passing, social media users have been calling for his brain to be tested for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease commonly found in deceased former football players.
Simpson, who was famously acquitted of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, died at the age of 76 on Thursday.
The announcement of his passing came on Thursday morning, with the family revealing that he succumbed to prostate cancer on Wednesday.
Simpson’s attorney later confirmed that he passed away in Las Vegas.
O.J. Simpson had a remarkable career in the NFL, spanning 11 seasons, with nine of those spent with the Buffalo Bills.
He earned the nickname “The Juice” and ran behind an offensive line famously dubbed “The Electric Company.”
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During his career, Simpson achieved numerous accolades, including four NFL rushing titles.
In total, he rushed for 11,236 yards and scored 76 touchdowns, while also participating in five Pro Bowls.
His standout season came in 1973 when he made history by becoming the first running back to surpass the 2,000-yard rushing mark, finishing with an impressive 2,003 yards.
However, the potential impact of O.J. Simpson’s football career on his brain health has raised questions, particularly regarding the possibility of CTE.
In 2018, following his release from prison, Simpson expressed his concern about the possibility of having CTE.
“I get concerned,” Simpson told The Buffalo News. “I do recognize that it probably affects you in short-term memory more than long-term. I know with me, I have days I can’t find words. I literally cannot find words or the name of somebody I know. That gets a little scary. Those days happen when I’m tired. I feel all right. But I have days when I can’t… I lose words, and I can’t come up with a simple word. I can’t remember a phone number, so forget that.”
This has led social media users to call for his brain to be tested for CTE following his passing.
It should be noted that former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez who was convicted of murder before taking his own life in prison was found to have a severe case of CTE.
