Ryan Murphy, the acclaimed producer behind “American Horror Story,” returns with another gripping real-life drama in “American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez.” This miniseries chronicles the life of NFL tight end Aaron Hernandez, whose promising career was abruptly derailed by a murder conviction, leading him to a maximum-security prison in Massachusetts.
Starring Josh Rivera as Hernandez and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow, the 10-episode series, created by Stuart Zicherman and executive produced by Murphy, premieres on FX on September 17.
Hernandez began his journey at the University of Florida under coach Urban Meyer, alongside quarterback Tim Tebow. He was drafted by the New England Patriots, where he played alongside stars like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. Just two years into his rookie contract, Hernandez signed a lucrative five-year extension worth $40 million, and played in Super Bowl XLVI at just 23 years old.
However, everything changed on June 26, 2013, when Hernandez was arrested in his Attleboro home, charged with the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd and multiple weapon offenses. Hours later, the Patriots severed ties with him.
Lloyd was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins. Surveillance footage showed Lloyd leaving a nightclub with Hernandez and his friends in the early hours of July 17. Later that day, his body was discovered at an industrial park, just a mile from Hernandez’s home, with multiple gunshot wounds.
The case deepened as the trial hinted at Hernandez’s possible connection to a double homicide from July 2012, linked to an altercation involving Alexander Bradley, who claimed Hernandez shot him after witnessing the fatal shootings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. These allegations were not included in the murder trial for Lloyd.
In April 2015, Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. His trial for the double homicide began in March 2017, but he was acquitted just days before his death, classified as a suicide in his jail cell on April 19, 2017.
Posthumous examinations revealed that Hernandez suffered from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), with a Boston University report indicating stage 3 CTE, which can cause symptoms such as aggression, memory loss, and cognitive decline.
“American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” launches on FX with two episodes on September 17, delving into the complexities of a life cut tragically short.
