The White House on Thursday offered mild sympathy to the family of football hall of famer O.J. Simpson, who passed away of cancer earlier in the day.

“Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. “I know they have asked for some privacy and so we’re going to respect that. I’ll just leave it there.”

Mr. Simpson was a football legend with the Buffalo Bills and had a robust television and movie career. In the 1990s, he was acquitted of murder charges in the death of his former wife and her friend. He was found liable in a separate civil trial.

He was 76 and died in Las Vegas.

Simpsons’s family announced his death earlier on social media, saying he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. His family asked for “privacy and grace.”

Simpson was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and underwent treatment, according to TMZ.

• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.