Syndication: USA TODAY | National Sports

O.J. Simpson, a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back who was accused of, and ultimately acquitted, in the 1994 killings of his former wife and her friend in “The Trial of the Century,” has died after a battle with cancer. He was 76. Simpson died Wednesday, his family announced on social media. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the family wrote on Simpson’s official X (formerly Twitter) account. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.” Simpson, a San Francisco native, was an All-American at Southern California. He played for the Buffalo Bills, who drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in 1969, and was a five-time All-Pro in his nine seasons there. He was named NFL MVP in 1973 after becoming the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, doing so during a 14-game season. Simpson concluded his career with two seasons as a member of the 49ers, then transitioned to a career as an actor, commercial pitchman and broadcaster before his arrest. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. But Simpson leaves an off-field legacy that is marred by legal troubles. That legacy…