Ryan Murphy, the creator behind “American Horror Story” and its spinoffs, returns with a new real-life murder drama, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez. The 10-episode miniseries, premiering on FX on Sept. 17, delves into the tragic rise and fall of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, according to Esquire. Josh Rivera stars as Hernandez, with Patrick Schwarzenegger playing Tim Tebow, alongside a host of other celebrities portraying real-life figures involved in the case.
Hernandez, once a standout tight end for the New England Patriots, seemed destined for football greatness. After playing for the University of Florida alongside quarterback Tim Tebow and under coach Urban Meyer, Hernandez was drafted by the Patriots in 2010. With the dynamic duo of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, Hernandez thrived on the field, signing a five-year, $40 million contract extension just two years into his rookie deal. At 23, he played in Super Bowl XLVI.
However, on June 26, 2013, his promising NFL career came to a sudden end. Hernandez was arrested at his home in Attleboro, Massachusetts, and charged with the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd, as well as five additional weapons charges. Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancée, was last seen leaving with Hernandez and two friends in the early morning hours. Later that day, Lloyd’s body was discovered with five gunshot wounds in an industrial park just a mile from Hernandez’s home.
The investigation into Lloyd’s murder soon uncovered deeper, darker connections. Hernandez was also linked to a double homicide that occurred in July 2012, in which Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado were fatally shot. A key witness, Alexander Bradley, claimed Hernandez shot him in the face after an argument, allegedly to silence him regarding the drive-by killings. Though these charges were not part of the Lloyd murder trial, they added to the complexity of Hernandez’s legal troubles.
In April 2015, Hernandez was convicted of Lloyd’s murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Although he was acquitted of the double homicide charges in 2017, just days later, Hernandez was found dead in his prison cell in what was ruled a suicide.
Posthumous studies of Hernandez’s brain revealed a severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma. His lawyer, Jose Baez, described the findings as the most advanced case of CTE ever found in someone his age.