O.J. Simpson dead at 76: Revisiting the infamous white Bronco chase that changed media in America

The former star running back who experienced one of the most epic rises and falls in media, O.J. Simpson, died Wednesday at 76 years old. Simpson is one of the most famous figures in American history. He was a Heisman Trophy winner, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1969 NFL Draft and an NFL MVP. Simpson was eventually inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame, and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and became a broadcaster as well as actor after his playing career. 

It was also after his playing career where he became the most famous — or infamous. In reality, it was both. All that Simpson achieved professionally eventually took a back seat to a car chase that was undoubtedly one of the most pivotal events in media history. 

Here’s what else transpired in the sports world on a day most will never forget: June 17, 1994.

• Arnold Palmer played his final round at the 1994 U.S. Open
• Ken Griffey Jr. tied Babe Ruth’s record for hitting the most home runs before June 30
• The New York Rangers participated in their Stanley Cup Finals victory parade
• The World Cup began in Chicago
• Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks took place.

All of these events combined paled in comparison to Simpson’s not-so-simple northbound car ride in California that same afternoon.

The Chase

After Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were found brutally butchered in Brentwood, Calif., the football star became a person of interest. The Los Angeles Police Department eventually came up with a warrant for Simpson’s arrest, leading to his attorneys reaching a deal with law enforcement for Simpson to turn himself in. That was supposed to happen at 11 a.m. on the morning of June 17, 1994, as documented by ESPN’s “O.J.: Made in America.”

Simpson never showed, which led the LAPD to hold a press conference where the authorities announced they were actively searching for Simpson. The news spread like wildfire, but this story would become more explosive than anyone could imagine. 

Less than an hour later, police were alerted to Simpson’s location, and it wasn’t long after the entire world was alerted to his location. KCBS-TV helicopter pilot and reporter Zoey Tur spotted the white Ford Bronco everyone was looking for on the El Toro “Y.”

The vehicle was being driven by Simpson’s friend, Al Cowlings, who called authorities and told police to back off from his vehicle, as Simpson was in the backseat with a gun to his head. While the Bronco was being followed by an army of police vehicles with lights and sirens, instead of a high-speed chase, this was a low-speed escort.  

If this was any other person who was wanted for double murder — someone who wasn’t a famous athlete who starred in commercials and movies and was beloved by millions of people, you have to imagine the police would have been more aggressive in their pursuit of their fugitive. This change in protocol instead opened the door for a “where were you moment.”

Tur was the only pilot to broadcast the chase for a whopping 22 minutes. Then, the competition showed. With the added cameras and national coverage, everyone took notice. Traffic on both sides of the freeway stopped, people lined up on highway overpasses to watch Simpson go by. Fans even created handwritten signs, cheering Simpson on during the most-watched run of his life. 

Via phone, Simpson relayed to officials that he wanted to go to his Rockingham estate. Police allowed it, but also had SWAT set up at the residence. By this point, fans flooded the streets leading up to his house awaiting the Bronco.

This event lasted about 45 minutes, and did in fact end in the driveway of Simpson’s Rockingham residence. As darkness fell, it became more difficult for viewers to see what was going on, but Simpson eventually left his weapon in the car, and was allowed to enter his residence, where he was arrested. 

It is estimated that 95 million people watched this chase. That’s more than any Super Bowl in the 1990s. 

The impact

The Simpson story of course didn’t end there. Next came arguably the most famous trial of all time, which was broadcasted on national television and followed by absolutely everyone. Take a step back and examine what this story was about and what it included: The fall of a celebrity, a sports star — who was known in pop culture. It’s a story about alleged jealousy and murder, centered around a Black man during a very tense time when it came to racism and police brutality in Los Angeles. What celebrity of this magnitude had ever been charged with something like this? While the situation was indeed serious, to people on the outside, this was the greatest soap opera ever concocted. And it was real life. 

That was a large part of this. It was real. A Hollywood story focused on a man who you would never suspect of doing the unthinkable. You didn’t need any scriptwriters or actors. The storylines kept writing themselves, from Kato Kaelin to Mark Fuhrman. The trial was captivating, the commentary was captivating, the “Saturday Night Live” skits were captivating, and the coverage of the chase was the beginning of all of this. Cutting away from programming was not something producers did regularly back in the day. Those in the media space had to get creative to satisfy a public craving — and that craving still exists today. Not only for the O.J. story, but true crime itself. 

There are many measurable impacts to take away from one of the most famous stories of the last century, but one was this hypothetical hierarchy when it comes to news. This story surpassed sports itself. The New York Knicks and Houston Rockets were in the middle of an important Game 5 in the 1994 NBA Finals with the series tied at two games apiece. Some NBC affiliates went back and forth between the slow-speed chase and the game, while others utilized a split screen. 

Simpson will be remembered in many different ways by many different people. He was a part of football history, and media history. A complicated story that always will be. 

Timeline of events courtesy of ESPN Films’ O.J.: Made in America