New details have emerged about O.J. Simpson's past as the Buffalo Bills make it clear they're moving on from the disgraced NFL star. The team announced this week that Simpson will not be honored at their new stadium, a decision that has sparked debate among fans and renewed attention on his troubled legacy.
But perhaps more revealing are the words of Joseph Perrulli, who dated Nicole Brown Simpson in 1992. In an exclusive interview with Page Six, Perrulli said that Simpson's alleged abusive behavior was an 'open secret' in Hollywood long before the infamous 1994 murders.
'I had people in the [movie] industry telling me about, you know, informing me about his abuse, so I knew,' Perrulli said. He added that despite the whispers, there was little anyone could do.
'We were all powerless,' Perrulli explained. 'He was still a spokesperson for a very big company [Hertz], a rental car company, and he was still a sportscaster. So, you know, everybody was powerless, and it seemed like he could do what he wanted. And he did.'
Perrulli's account adds a personal layer to the story, echoing the frustration many felt at the time. The former NFL star was acquitted of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in one of the most-watched trials in history, but the shadow of the case has never lifted.
Now, the Bills are making a definitive break. The franchise, which once honored Simpson on its Wall of Fame at the old stadium, has decided not to include him in the new venue's 'family circle' area. Bills president of business operations Pete Guelli stated, 'We have made an organizational decision that he is not a fit to display inside our new stadium and family circle.'
This move has already generated strong reactions from Bills fans, with some supporting the decision and others arguing for a separation of player performance from personal conduct. The debate highlights the complex legacy of a Hall of Fame talent whose off-field life overshadowed his on-field achievements.
Simpson, who passed away in 2024, remains a polarizing figure. While his number was once displayed at the old stadium as part of the Wall of Fame created in 1980, the new stadium will instead focus on honoring team legends in a different way. The Bills have made it official: Simpson won't be part of their future.
For Perrulli, the decision is a long-overdue acknowledgment of a painful reality. 'It seemed like he could do what he wanted,' he said, reflecting on a time when power and fame shielded Simpson from accountability. Now, decades later, the Bills are taking a stand—and Perrulli's words remind us why.
