Beyond the Field: What You Need to Know About ‘American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez’

“American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” delves into the problematic life of late NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez and the chilling details of his fall from athletic stardom.

The drama series premiered on Sept. 17 and is the fourth installment of FX’s uber-successful “American Story,” an anthology franchise created by Ryan Murphy (“Nip/Tuck,” “9-1-1”) and Brad Falchuk (“Glee,” “Scream Queens”). Inspired by The Boston Globe and Wondery’s famed podcast “Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.,” the raved-about production sees Josh Andrés Rivera (“West Side Story, “The Hunger Games”) as Hernandez, a controversial tight end for the New England Patriots whose spotlight fizzes out when controversy strikes and dark secrets are revealed.

Along with Rivera, stars Jaylen Barron as high-school sweetheart Shayanna Jenkins, Lindsay Mendez as Tanya Singleton, Ean Castellanos as DJ Hernandez, and Tammy Blanchard as Terri Hernandez. Stu Zicherman developed the 10-episode endeavor, with Murphy, Falchuk, and ex-Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group president Nina Jacobson executive producing, among others.

The Grueling True Events Behind American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez

Born Aaron Josef Hernandez on Nov. 6, 1989, the Connecticut native reportedly endured a troubled childhood, which was comprised of violent parents and a broken home. Hernandez’s tumultuous upbringing (seemingly) followed him throughout his early years and into his college/football career, as he dealt with a slew of run-ins with the law, substance abuse, and gang association.

The University of Florida student signed with the New England Patriots in 2010. Hernandez took the media by a whirlwind when news erupted that he’d been tied to the slaying of his friend, semi-pro player Odin Lloyd, in 2013. A dispute between the two at a nightclub a few nights before preceded the tragic occurrence. Police discovered Lloyd’s body in an industrial park near Hernandez’s home in Attleboro, Massachusetts. Hernandez was arrested not too long after. Despite initially denying any connection to the killing, he was charged with first-degree murder (ultimately landing him a life-without-parole sentence) and dropped from the Patriots.

The investigation received nationwide coverage and pulled the sleeve back on other high-profile crimes that Hernandez was said to have been involved in, such as the 2012 double homicides of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston and the shooting of Alexander Bradley in Miami. He was later acquitted of Abreu and Furtado’s assassinations. However, that was only the tip of the iceberg for what was to come in this bizarre case.

“American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” offers viewers a deeper exploration into the athlete’s checkered background, his time on and off the field, and the horrific events leading up to his sudden suicide in 2017.

Why Many Theories Still Surround Aaron Hernandez Today

While a clear motive for Lloyd’s death was never determined, it was widely speculated that Hernandez murdered the fallen sportsman out of fear that he’d expose Hernandez’s bisexuality that he allegedly knew of. If you didn’t know, Hernandez committed suicide by hanging himself in his Massachusetts prison cell in April 2017. Before doing so, it was reported that he’d admitted his lifelong secret to his mother.

After his demise, the 27-year-old’s high school teammate, Dennis SanSoucie, came forth with claims that he and Hernandez carried a homosexual relationship in middle school and 11th grade. Additionally, he stated that Hernandez so-called had other gay lovers as well. However, due to the anti-LGBTQIA+ culture that he grew up in, it is believed that (if true) he kept his lifestyle discreet.

It also appears that Hernandez suffered from mental health issues after it was unveiled that an examination of his brain showed a severe stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition caused by “repeated trauma to the head,” which was likely a result of playing football.

Researchers suspected that the disease could’ve impacted Hernandez’s erratic behaviors.

“American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” is streaming on Hulu.

Will you be tuning in? Let us know in the comments!

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