When the Buffalo Bills move to their new stadium in the fall, the team will have to figure out whether to continue to honor O.J. Simpson on the Wall of Fame.
When the Buffalo Bills move to the new Highmark Stadium this year, one legendary player may not be making the move with the rest.
O.J. Simpson is one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history. The first overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft, Simpson quickly became one of Buffalo's best players throughout the 1970s.
He was a five-year first-team All-Pro, leading the NFL in rushing four times. He even holds the NFL record for fewest games to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season, rushing for 2,003 yards in 14 games in 1973. That performance was good enough to earn him the NFL's MVP that year, and, for 11 years, it was the single-season rushing record.
His nine seasons in Buffalo earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 and a spot on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in 1980.
Unfortunately, Simpson's legacy was tarnished forever when he was arrested and charged with the murders of Ronald Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. Though he was acquitted in 1995, he was found liable in 1997.
Ten years later, Simpson was convicted and sentenced to 33 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping. He served nine years in prison before being released on parole in 2017.
All during that time, Simpson's name remained on the Wall of Fame inside the old Highmark Stadium. But now, with the Bills set to move across the street to their new building, questions remain whether Simpson should continue to be honored by the team he spent the most time with.
In a recent interview with ESPN, senior vice president of design Frank Cravotta was asked about Simpson being a part of the Wall of Fame moving forward.
He told the outlet that a decision on that hasn't been made. However, he said, they are planning for both scenarios so that it's ready in time for opening later this year.
As far as how the team is displaying its Wall of Fame members, the new building will still have space inside for players, but they'll also be honored with dedications within the new "Family Circle" area outside.
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