sport news OJ Simpson's greatest moments in football: Hall of fame icon was a force of ... trends now
At the time of OJ Simpson's retirement from playing football, he was one of the greatest running backs to ever grace the gridiron.
He then went on to be associated with much more sinister things that have overshadowed just how dominant he was on the field.
Simpson was a prolific running back in college - winning the Heisman Trophy as the nation's top player a year after claiming a national title.
In the NFL, he was honored as the league's MVP and broke multiple barriers for running backs - including records that still stand today.
DailyMail.com looks back at the sporting accolades of OJ Simpson, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 76.
Long before the 'Trial of the Century', OJ Simpson was one of the NFL's greatest running backs
Simpson's legend began in college, when he led a high-powered offense at USC to a national title back in 1967.
The Trojans went 10-1 that season - with Simpson logging 1,543 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in the season.
He did even better the following year - racking up 1,880 yards and 23 touchdowns en route to winning the Heisman Trophy as the nation's top player.
His success began at USC - where he won the national championship with the Trojans in 1967
He followed that up in 1968 by winning the Heisman Trophy, college football's top honor
After conquering college football, OJ turned his focus to the NFL in 1969 - where he was selected first overall by the Buffalo Bills.
Initially, Simpson and Bills owner Ralph Wilson were locked in a contract standoff as OJ demanded the biggest sports contract ever at the time. Eventually, Wilson relented.
Over his first three years, Simpson struggled to produce on the field as coaches continued to try other ways to scheme the offense. But with the hiring of Lou Saban as head coach, OJ was finally made the centerpiece of Buffalo's attack.
In the 1969 NFL Draft, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson selected Simpson first overall
