O.J. Simpson Relied Heavily on NFL Pension as Main Income in Later Life
Disgraced professional football player and actor O.J. Simpson primarily depended on his NFL pension to support him in his later years.
Published April 11 2024, 2:36 p.m. ET
On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, O.J. Simpson, a former NFL player widely known for his high-profile murder trial in the '90s, passed away. His family announced his death in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), stating, "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer."
He was 76 years old.
With the news of his death sparking widespread interest, many are curious to know about his financial affairs. Among the questions raised is the inquiry into O.J. Simpson's NFL pension — how much is it worth? Read on to find out.
Plus, stick around for insights into the Pro Football Hall of Famer's net worth and whether Ron Goldman's family will receive money from O.J.'s estate.
How much was O.J. Simpson's NFL pension?
O.J. Simpson remained tight-lipped about his income, but The Independent reported he was pocketing $42,000 per year in social security alongside a pension from the Screen Actors Guild. Regarding his NFL pension, O.J. was pulling in anywhere from $125,000 to $300,000 annually. Other outlets suggested it could be valued as high as $5 million.
Regardless, Simpson received a sizable payment from his NFL pension, which just so happened to be protected from garnishment by California law to pay off the large sums he owed to Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown's families. These obligations emerged when a jury found him responsible for the deaths of their loved ones in a civil lawsuit.
What was O.J. Simpson's net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Simpson died with a net worth of roughly $3 million.
In his 1992 divorce proceedings from the late Nicole Brown, Simpson cited his net worth as $10.8 million ($25 million in 2024). According to the divorce settlement, his monthly earnings in 1992 were $55,000, primarily sourced from his endorsement deal with Hertz.
However, the majority of Simpson's fortune was depleted during his infamous criminal trial. Nearly half of his 1992 net worth stemmed from his Brentwood residence, which he lost in 1997 due to mortgage default. Simpson then bought a property in Florida before ultimately filing for bankruptcy.
In the years following his acquittal, Simpson relied mainly on his NFL pension for income.
So, will Ron Goldman's family receive money from O.J. Simpson's estate?
Regarding the 1997 civil trial, Simpson was found liable for the deaths of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown. As a result, he was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages — but he relocated to Florida to avoid paying the civil judgment.
In February 2021, Ron's father, Fred Goldman, publicly revealed that Simpson had only paid approximately $133,000 of the settlement. By 2022, the total amount had surged to over $96 million (with the likelihood of it being even higher in 2024 due to accruing interest on the court judgment), according to court documents obtained by Distractify.
With Simpson's passing, the unresolved debt to the Goldman family remains. Fred Goldman's attorney, David Cook, didn't hold back about the deceased, boldly telling TMZ on Thursday, April 11, "O.J. died without penance." David also emphasized that Simpson's estate remains liable for the civil case judgment.
The Goldmans are committed to pursuing Simpson's remaining assets to fulfill the owed amount. It's expected to be a strenuous legal battle, but the Goldman family has persisted in their pursuit for decades.