O.J. Simpson: Remembering the Fall of an NFL Icon 17 Years Later

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O.J. Simpson Ran From Police 17 Years Ago Today; Take a Look Back at NFL Icon's Fall From Grace

O.J. Simpson had it all 17 years ago. He was still one of the most recognizable former football players in history, with a strong endorsement portfolio, a solid acting career, and remained one of the best running backs in NFL history.

But, on June 17, 1994, Simpson fled from police in a high-speed pursuit in the now infamous white Chevy Bronco, and his world came crashing down around him.

Simpson was charged in the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ronald Goldman shortly thereafter, and embarked on what remains the most well-publicized and widely followed court cases in history.

It was a comedy of errors and mistakes from the prosecution, and the clever catchphrases of defense attorney Johnny Cochran ("If the glove doesn't fit, you must acquit") that made the case so compelling for the American people, along with the fact that Simpson was one of the first major sports stars to ever be charged with a crime as serious as murder.

It didn't matter that Simpson was acquitted in the case; he was guilty in the court of public opinion, and his life came apart. Without his endorsements, or acting to fall back on, he wound up selling memorabilia to make ends meet, labeled as a pariah and outcast of society.

Simpson's post-career court troubles came to overshadow what was a brilliant NFL career. He was the first player ever to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, and "Juice" was one of the most electric runners in NFL history.

Eventually, Simpson was found guilty of robbery, coercion, kidnapping and conspiracy in relation to a Las Vegas robbery in which Simpson and several of his friends held a memorabilia salesman at gunpoint to recover items the former star claimed were stolen from him, and was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

What made Simpson unique was the fact that never before had a court case been such a spectacle, such a show for the public. Thick with social and racial undertones, it became compelling drama for the entire nation, and represented the first time an athlete's legal troubles defined his legacy more than his on-field achievements.

All of it began 17 years ago today, when Simpson's white Bronco putting down the highway in Los Angeles interrupted coverage of the NBA Finals.

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