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

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

All that Simpson achieved professionally eventually took a back seat when his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, were killed on June 12, 1994. Simpson was eventually acquitted of a double murder charge after a trial that rocked the nation, but before he turned himself into authorities, he took off on a car chase that stands even today as one of the most pivotal events in American 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 were thrown to the wayside as Simpson, driven by friend Al Cowlings, took off on a northbound car ride through California that same afternoon.

The chase

After Simpson became a person of interest in the double murder, the Los Angeles Police Department acquired a warrant for his arrest. Simpson’s attorneys reached a deal with law enforcement for the former Buffalo Bills and USC star to turn himself in to authorities, which was supposed to transpire at 11 a.m. that day, as documented by ESPN’s “O.J.: Made in America.”

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

Later that day, police were alerted to Simpson’s location, and it wasn’t long after the entire world was, too. 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 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, it was actually a relative low-speed escort.  

Whether Simpson’s celebrity status played a role in the police’s strategic pursuit is a conversation topic to this day, but the protocol utilized here allowed for a “where were you moment” as millions gathered around their televisions to watch the chase unfold.

Tur was the only pilot to broadcast the chase for a whopping 22 minutes. Then, the competition showed up. 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 authorities that he wanted to return home to his Rockingham estate. Police allowed it but also had a SWAT team 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, did not end there. Next came arguably the most famous trial of all time, broadcasted on national television and followed by the entire nation. Take a step back and examine this story: The deaths of two innocent victims suburban Los Angeles. The fall of a celebrity, a sports star, someone known and revered in pop culture. Accusations of alleged jealousy and murder, centered around a Black man during a tense time for race relations and police brutality in Los Angeles. What celebrity of his 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: the reality. A Hollywood story focused on a man no one thought was capable of the unthinkable. All elements of it captivating. Cutting away from regularly scheduled programming was not something televisions producers did regularly back in the day barring news that affected the nation on a far greater scale. The media landscape changed to satisfy a public craving, not just coverage of Simpson but the spawning of an entire true crime drama. The trial itself led to the formation of an entire network, Court TV.

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.