The Bills Are Wrong to Erase O.J. Simpson’s Football Legacy

by Dewitt Lee

Dewitt Lee III

The news of OJ Simpson’s name not being honored in the new Bills’ stadium is truly disappointing and disparaging to the work, contribution, and achievements of not just one of our beloved Buffalo Bills, but of one of the greatest running backs to play the game. His value to football, the Buffalo Bills and our city has long gone under appreciated, and this act of disregard and disloyalty is “unfit” for our community and fanbase.

We appreciate the opinions that people have regarding Mr. Simpsons off the field headlines, but we are football fans who love and understand the game know that inside the stadium, it’s all about the gridiron and honoring our greatest gladiators is the least we can do.

As chairman of the “Remember the Rockpile Foundation,” we believe that inside the new stadium those who played at the War Memorial stadium deserve their due respect and so does the stadium that still stands on Jefferson and Best. We are calling on all those who played with or against O.J. Simpson, to stand with us as we work towards restoring O.J. Simpson’s name to the Wall of Fame, to ensure that the “Rockpile” will forever be a reminder of where the Bills came from to win AFL championships.

If the Buffalo Bills elect to go against the support for O.J. Simpson’s name to carry over to the new stadium, we will be deeply disappointed and question the motive of this injustice. We are witnessing, across America, an attempt to remove the stories and the heroes of our past, and we must consider this a continuation of that racially motivated effort.

We know we live in a world where biases and racism still exist and it’s up to us to rally around any act that would be rooted in that evil and remove it. We were not warned, consulted or consoled about the omission of OJ Simpson in the new stadium and we consider that to be insensitive and inappropriate. It’s not too late for Buffalo Bills to make it right but once the stadium officially opens, it will be.

The voices of O.J. Simpson’s fans are clear; we are demanding to see in his name on the wall of fame at Highmark Stadium. Where the “Juice” was first set loose.