Former Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson mingles with fans at the Big Tree Inn in Orchard Park before the start of the Bills-Dolphins game on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021.
BUFFALO, New York — Michael R. Militello was getting ready for a morning workout at an Amherst gym on Thursday when he learned about the death of his longtime friend, O.J. Simpson.
“Some kid in the locker room looked at his cellphone and said, ‘Hey, O.J. just died. One of the most famous people in America,’” Militello told The Buffalo News. “I thought that was strange, because for some reason, I was thinking about O.J. all morning. I thought about him at the very moment I woke up, and I thought about him again while driving to the gym.
“I spoke to him around Christmas, and I knew he was sick, so I wasn’t shocked. This is a sad day. I’m thinking about O.J.’s kids. He may not have been a great husband, but he was always close to all his kids. They all loved him.”
Nobody in Buffalo — and very few people in America — were as close to Simpson as Militello.
The two men became close friends in the 1970s when Simpson was a superstar running back with the Buffalo Bills and one of the world’s most famous athletes. Militello was then running Mulligan’s Cafe & Nightclub on Hertel Avenue, which was then Buffalo’s No. 1 celebrity hangout.
Their friendship endured long after Simpson’s football career ended. Militello was with Simpson in 1977 when he met Nicole Brown, a young waitress at a Beverly Hills, California, restaurant.
“They fell in love almost immediately, right before my eyes,” Militello said.
Over the years, Militello and his wife, Marilyn, stayed close to both O.J. and Nicole. “Nicole essentially planned our entire wedding, and she and O.J. stood up in our wedding party,” Militello recalled. “Over the years, our kids played together, we stayed at each other’s homes.”
The friendship became much more “complicated” in 1994, when Simpson was arrested by Los Angeles police, accused of the murders of Nicole — who was then estranged from Simpson — and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
Militello visited Simpson in jail after his arrest. When The News interviewed Militello in July 1994, he said he was certain that his friend O.J. was innocent. He later rejoiced when a jury acquitted Simpson of the slayings.
When the same reporter interviewed Militello on Thursday, Militello didn’t seem so sure about what happened.
“This has always been difficult for me, because it’s a situation where one of my best friends, like a brother to me, was accused of murdering someone who also was a best friend to me and my wife,” Militello said.
Did Militello ever ask Simpson, point-blank, whether he killed Nicole?
“I never did ask him, because I knew he would have had to lie to me,” Militello said Thursday. “Many times, when we got together after the murders, I would look into his eyes. He looked into my eyes. I believe he knew what I was thinking, but we never discussed whether he did it or not.”
Does Militello now think that his friend committed the murders?
“I won’t answer that. I’m just going to say that my feelings go toward Nicole and her family,” Militello said. “She was such a wonderful person.”
“As for O.J.,” Militello added, “friendship is friendship. He was like a brother to me, and you don’t throw your brother into the garbage because he did something wrong.”
Militello, 77, said he tries to remember happier times, when he and Simpson took delight in each other’s company.
Although Simpson was a star known all over the world, he was impressed with the fact that Militello was a war veteran who survived being shot three times in Vietnam, Militello said.
Militello’s restaurant hosted celebrities like Bob Hope, the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Liza Minnelli, Van Morrison and astronaut Alan Shephard, but Militello said he never saw a celebrity who attracted attention like Simpson.
Even Frank Sinatra seemed to be in awe of Simpson, Militello said.
“Frank Sinatra’s friend Jilly Rizzo called me in 1974 and asked if I could get O.J. to visit Frank in his dressing room before his concert at the old (Memorial) Auditorium,” Militello recalled. “O.J. agreed to go. The police led us back there. Frank Sinatra got to meet O.J. and Frank Sinatra seemed to be as excited as a 12-year-old kid meeting one of his heroes.”
Over the past decade, Militello said, Simpson would come to Buffalo at least once a year to visit. “He’d come with some friends and I’d put them up at a hotel near the airport,” he said.
Simpson loved going to sports bars and restaurants in Buffalo. Some people were thrilled to see him in Buffalo and some stayed away from him, Militello said.
The Buffalo businessman said he realizes that some people will always think of Simpson as a criminal who viciously killed his wife and a friend.
He said Simpson told him on the telephone around last Christmas that he was concerned about his health issues, including a heart problem that caused doctors to fit him with a pacemaker.
“O.J. was definitely concerned, but still he was upbeat and happy,” Militello said. “He was almost always that way. Upbeat and happy. That’s the way I prefer to remember him.”
O.J. Simpson on the day he was inducted onto the Bills' Wall of Fame. His arm is around his son Jason.
Seventh graders from Buffalo's School 44 crowd around O.J. Simpson during a field trip to Rich Stadium in 1974. "The Juice saw the youngsters and invited them down on the field for a visit."
On Dec. 16, 1973, O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills rushed for 200 yards in a 34-14 victory over the New York Jets and set an NFL record with 2,003 yards rushing for the season. Simpson needed 61 yards to break Jim Brown’s NFL single season rushing record of 1,863 yards set in 1963.
On Nov. 25, 1976, Buffalo’s O.J. Simpson rushes for 273 yards and scores two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day in Pontiac, Mich.
Buffalo's O.J. Simpson finds a wide opening for a first-quarter gain on Sept. 16, 1973, against the New England Patriots at Foxboro, Mass. Other Bills are J.D. Hill (40) and Bo Connoll (30).
The Bills' No. 32 jersey was never an officially retired number, but it was always synonymous with O.J. Simpson, who was drafted first overall in the 1969 draft by Buffalo and spent nine years with the franchise.
1977: "This was the scene outside O.J. Simpson's Amherst home as the Bills' ace running back bid farewell to his coach, Lou Saban, figuring his request to be traded to a West Coast team would be accomplished. Positions switched later. O.J. returned to the Bills and it was Saban who left after resigning as coach."
Here are photos of O.J. Simpson through the years – mostly from his time spent in Buffalo when he played for the Bills.
O.J. Simpson on the day he was inducted onto the Bills' Wall of Fame. His arm is around his son Jason.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson is greeted by a Bills fan as he arrives to the stadium.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson arrives at Mercy Hospital for knee surgery.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson during his days with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo News file photo
Bills running back O.J. Simpson breaks the 2,000-yard single season mark on Dec. 16, 1973, against the New York Jets at Shea Stadium.
By Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson is helped off the field in 1970 by A.J. Cowlings.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson during his days with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson with broadcaster Howard Cosell.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson poses for the camera.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson during his days with the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson on the Buffalo Bills sideline during a game.
Buffalo News file photo
Bills running back O.J. Simpson breaks the 2,000-yard single season mark on Dec. 16, 1973, against the New York Jets at Shea Stadium.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson, Michael Militello, Nicole Brown at Mulligan's nightclub. On the far right are actors John Schuck and Elliot Gould.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
From left, Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, running back O.J. Simpson and coach Lou Saban.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson with his parents on the day his name was put on the Bills Wall of Fame.
By Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher, Buffalo News
The moving crew, from left, Danny Gare, Al Cowlings, O.J. Simpson, Reggie McKenzie, Bobby Chandler.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson behind the wheel waves to teammates as he prepares to move to San Francisco.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson signs autographs.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson dances at Mulligan's nightclub in the 1970s.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson dances at Mulligan's nightclub in the 1970s.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
O.J. Simpson with his family, Arnelle, Marguerite and Jason.
Photo by Mickey H. Osterreicher
A 1977 photo of O.J. Simpson with former Buffalo nightclub owner Michael Militello.
Buffalo News file photo
Seventh graders from Buffalo's School 44 crowd around O.J. Simpson during a field trip to Rich Stadium in 1974. "The Juice saw the youngsters and invited them down on the field for a visit."
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson during an interview on March 12, 2018, at his home in Las Vegas.
Buffalo News file photo
On Dec. 16, 1973, O.J. Simpson of the Buffalo Bills rushed for 200 yards in a 34-14 victory over the New York Jets and set an NFL record with 2,003 yards rushing for the season. Simpson needed 61 yards to break Jim Brown’s NFL single season rushing record of 1,863 yards set in 1963.
Associated Press file photo
On Nov. 25, 1976, Buffalo’s O.J. Simpson rushes for 273 yards and scores two touchdowns in a 27-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day in Pontiac, Mich.
Associated Press file photo
Buffalo's O.J. Simpson finds a wide opening for a first-quarter gain on Sept. 16, 1973, against the New England Patriots at Foxboro, Mass. Other Bills are J.D. Hill (40) and Bo Connoll (30).
Associated Press
Before he became infamous, O.J. Simpson dazzled fans and befuddled defenses as a running back for the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo News file photo
O.J. Simpson was drafted No. 1 overall in 1969 by the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo News file photo
Cookie Gilchrist with Bills coach Lou Saban and O.J. Simpson in the early 1970s.
Photo from the Gilchrist family
The Bills' No. 32 jersey was never an officially retired number, but it was always synonymous with O.J. Simpson, who was drafted first overall in the 1969 draft by Buffalo and spent nine years with the franchise.
Buffalo News file photo
An undated file photo of Bills running back O.J. Simpson.
Buffalo News file photo
1977: "This was the scene outside O.J. Simpson's Amherst home as the Bills' ace running back bid farewell to his coach, Lou Saban, figuring his request to be traded to a West Coast team would be accomplished. Positions switched later. O.J. returned to the Bills and it was Saban who left after resigning as coach."
Buffalo News file photo
The infamous photo O.J. Simpson wearing Bruno Magli shoes.
O.J. Simpson, Michael Militello and Nicole Brown Simpson attend a 1978 party celebrating the history of Mulligan’s Cafe & Nightclub, a bar Militello owned in Buffalo.