{"id":293518,"date":"2024-10-29T19:37:19","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T19:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/29\/american-sports-storys-aaron-hernandez-inaccuracies-sexuality-more\/"},"modified":"2024-10-29T19:37:19","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T19:37:19","slug":"american-sports-storys-aaron-hernandez-inaccuracies-sexuality-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/29\/american-sports-storys-aaron-hernandez-inaccuracies-sexuality-more\/","title":{"rendered":"American Sports Story’s Aaron Hernandez Inaccuracies: Sexuality, More"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"What<\/div>

\n Josh Rivera, Aaron Hernandez.<\/span> Eric Liebowitz\/FX; Otto Greule Jr\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

American Sports Story<\/em> attempted to accurately depict Aaron Hernandez<\/strong>\u2018s tumultuous life \u2014 but there have been some inaccuracies about both his personal and professional life.<\/p>\n

The FX series, which debuted in September 2024, stars Josh Andr\u00e9s Rivera<\/strong> as Hernandez and is based on the \u201cGladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.\u201d podcast. American Sports Story chronicled Hernandez\u2019s time with the University of Florida Gators and New England Patriots before legal issues off the football field<\/a> caught up with him.<\/p>\n

Hernandez was arrested in 2013 for the murder of Odin Lloyd<\/strong> and was convicted two years later. He was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2015 and was subsequently charged for the double homicide of Daniel de Abreu<\/strong> and Safiro Furtado<\/strong>. Hernandez\u2019s career in the NFL had come to an end<\/a> by the time he was acquitted in 2017 and days later was found dead at age 27 in his prison cell. His death was ruled a suicide.<\/p>\n

While Hernandez\u2019s loved ones haven\u2019t addressed how Ryan Murphy<\/strong>\u2018s American Sports Story<\/em><\/a> represented his life, they have spoken out in the past. Hernandez\u2019s fianc\u00e9e, Shayanna Jenkins,<\/strong> previously slammed Tom Brady<\/strong> for telling \u201ccruel\u201d jokes about her late partner during The Greatest Roast Of All Time: Tom Brady<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>How FX’s \u2018American Sports Story\u2019 Cast Compares to Real-Life Counterparts<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tFX\u2019s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez worked hard to make the cast resemble their real-life counterparts. The first season of American Sports Story, which stars Josh Andr\u00e9s Rivera, debuted in September 2024, is based on the \u201cGladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.\u201d podcast, which focused on Hernandez\u2019s time as a tight end with the University [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s sad that I\u2019m trying to raise my children in such a cruel world,\u201d Jenkins told TMZ in May 2024 after Brady joked during the Netflix special<\/a> that \u201cthe bar for a Patriots tight end was pretty low back then. Block. Catch. Don\u2019t murder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for some of the inaccuracies noticed in FX\u2019s American Sports Story<\/em>:\n<\/p>\n

Cam Newton\u2019s Departure From the Florida Gators<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"What<\/div>
Getty Images; Hulu<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a college freshman at the University of Florida, Hernandez crossed paths with Cam Newton<\/strong>, who initially played for the Florida Gators<\/a> under head coach Urban Meyer<\/strong> from 2007 to 2008. Newton\u2019s time at the college was cut short when he was arrested in 2008 on felony charges of burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice after being accused of stealing a laptop from a fellow student.<\/p>\n

Newton was suspended from the Florida Gators but ultimately all charges were dropped after he completed a court-approved pre-trial diversion program. According to American Sports Story<\/em>, Meyer dismissed Newton from the team after he was one of several players \u2014 including Hernandez \u2014 who ended up involved in various legal<\/a> issues that year. Newton, however, transferred of his own accord three days before the Gators won the National Championship. Fox Sports<\/em> reported in 2010 that Newton was at risk of expulsion from the University of Florida on grounds of academic dishonesty before he left.<\/p>\n

Newton went on to play for the Auburn Tigers, which is where he won the Heisman Trophy and the 2011 BCS National Championship Game. He was later selected to play for the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots. He has not been part of the NFL since the Patriots chose not to re-sign him after the 2021 season.<\/p>\n

Aaron\u2019s Brother D.J. Hernandez Was Not Demoted From University of Connecticut<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"What<\/div>
Eric Liebowitz\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

American Sports Story<\/em> depicted D.J. Hernandez<\/strong>\u2018s attempts to avoid living in his younger brother<\/a>\u2018s shadow. However, D.J. seemed to always be compared to Aaron as the NFL star found more and more success. Case in point, the show claimed D.J. was punished when Aaron chose the University of Florida as his college pick over University of Connecticut.<\/p>\n

The official website for the University of Connecticut previously noted in a statement that D.J. \u201cselflessly volunteered to move from quarterback to wide receiver during the spring\u201d of 2007.<\/p>\n

D.J. has continued to make headlines for his own legal issues following his brother\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Guide to the Most Anticipated True Story Shows Coming Out in Fall 2024<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tBureau of Prisons\/Getty Images; FX For fans of TV shows based on true events, the fall lineup has several standouts to look forward to that are pulled straight from the headlines. FX is debuting Ryan Murphy\u2018s latest limited series titled American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez. Based on the \u201cGladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.\u201d podcast, [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Details About the Shooting in Boston\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Josh<\/div>

\n Josh Rivera as Aaron Hernandez in \u2018American Sports Story\u2019<\/span> FX\/YouTube<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aaron was indicted on murder charges in 2012 after de Abreu and Furtado were killed by gunshots fired into their vehicle. The trial took place five years later where Aaron claimed his former friend \u2014 and drug dealer \u2014 Alexander Bradley<\/strong> was the person who pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n

The prosecution relied on Bradley\u2019s testimony, who claimed Aaron was upset after de Abreu and Furtado spilled a drink on him in a bar. Bradley accused Aaron of getting his gun and circling the bar until they spotted de Abreu and Furtado. According to Bradley, Aaron fired his gun five times<\/a> into the car. Aaron\u2019s attorney, meanwhile, argued that Aaron happened to be in the vicinity of the murder but wasn\u2019t at fault. Aaron was ultimately acquitted of the murders but found guilty of illegal possession of a handgun.<\/p>\n

American Sports Story<\/em> showed Aaron and Bradley heading home when a car with de Abreu and Furtado pulled up next to them. In the FX show\u2019s dramatization, Aaron\u00a0decided to pull a gun on de Abreu and Furtado before pulling the trigger on screen.<\/a><\/p>\n

Aaron\u2019s Uncle Was Never Accused of Sexual Abuse<\/h3>\n
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\"What<\/div>
Michael Parmelee\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

D.J.\u2019s 2018 book titled The Truth About Aaron: My Journey to Understand My Brother<\/em> claimed an older boy in their neighborhood sexually abused Aaron when he was 6. Aaron allegedly disclosed the same information to his mother in letters written shortly before his death that the abuse continued for years after the incident D.J. mentioned in his book.<\/p>\n

American Sports Story<\/em>, however, heavily alluded that Aaron and D.J.\u2019s uncle Robert Valentine<\/strong> sexually abused the younger Hernandez sibling despite his name never coming up<\/a> in Aaron\u2019s letters or D.J.\u2019s book. Aaron\u2019s family did not publicly address the fictional story line and Valentine died in a 2013 crash before the release of American Sports Story.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>The Most Shocking True Crime Docs of 2024: \u2018Quiet on Set\u2018 and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tFrom Sherri Papini\u2018s kidnapping hoax to the two separate documentaries about Scott Peterson\u2018s murder conviction, it\u2019s safe to say that most streaming services are investing in true crime in 2024. Netflix and Hulu usually corner the genre by focusing on the most recent \u2014 and most surprising \u2014 cases. It was Investigation Discovery, however, that [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Aaron Had Financial Instability During His Time as a Rookie<\/h3>\n
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FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the 2010 NFL draft, the New England Patriots selected Aaron as a tight end. Aaron wasn\u2019t chosen by other teams because there reportedly were concerns that Aaron\u2019s allegedly failed drug tests and legal issues while in college would be a liability for a professional football team.<\/p>\n

Aaron was signed to a four-year contract of<\/a> over $2 million that had a signing bonus of $200,000. The Patriots didn\u2019t give Aaron the expected $500,000 signing bonus due to concerns about his behavior off the field and instead he got a contract that offered bonuses up to an additional $700,000 to make up for it.<\/p>\n

American Sports Story<\/em> offered a different perspective with the fictional Aaron complaining multiple times about a lack of funds due to his disappointing rookie deal.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Existence (or Lack Thereof) of Chris Taylor\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"Jake<\/div>
Michael Parmelee\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aaron\u2019s sexuality became a topic of conversation after his 2017 death with multiple people from his life claiming he told them he was gay. Aaron\u2019s high school teammate Dennis SanSoucie<\/strong> claimed they were involved in a secret relationship, which was depicted on American Sports Story<\/em> with Kalama Epstein<\/strong> playing SanSoucie.<\/p>\n

The show also introduced a physical therapist named Chris Taylor (Jake Cannavale<\/strong>) who was involved with Aaron throughout the years after he joined the NFL. According to the show\u2019s cast and crew, Chris is meant to be a fictional person<\/a> who represents Aaron\u2019s alleged relationship with men as a catch-all.<\/p>\n

The New England Patriots signed a player named Chris Taylor<\/strong> in 2008 and he remained on the team until 2010. While he was briefly teammates with Aaron, there is no connection between the real-life Taylor and the character Cannavale brought to life on American Sports Story<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Aaron Probably Didn\u2019t Attack His Mother\u2019s Boyfriend\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"What<\/div>
Michael Parmelee\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Aaron\u2019s father, Dennis Hernandez<\/strong>, died in 2006, his mother, Terri Valentine-Hernandez<\/strong>, started dating Jeff Cummings. The relationship caused Aaron to become estranged from his mother because Cummings was previously married to Aaron\u2019s cousin, Tanya Singleton<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

American Sports Story<\/em> showed Aaron beating Cummings up for harming Terri. The police were called to Terri\u2019s home in 2010 when Cummings cut her face during an argument. Cummings served a two-year sentence for the incident and Terri divorced him at the time.<\/p>\n

There was no public record of Aaron<\/a> having an altercation with Cummings, who was taken into police custody after the attack on Terri.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>True Crime Cases Covered Multiple Times Within Months: Menendez Bros, More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tRamey Photo\/Mega Agency; Miles Crist\/Netflix When a true crime case is making headlines, there are usually multiple programs covering the same subject within months of each other. Not every duel release is intentional, but topics such as Sherri Papini\u2018s kidnapping case and Erik Men\u00e9ndez and Lyle Men\u00e9ndez\u2018s infamous murder trial are great examples of multiple [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Back and Forth Between Aaron and Alexander \u2018Sherrod\u2019 Bradley\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"What<\/div>
Michael Parmelee\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2013, Bradley was found by the police with a bullet wound in his eye. Bradley survived the shooting but wouldn\u2019t name who was responsible for the attack. According to text messages later obtained by the authorities, Bradley and Aaron threatened each other<\/a> for the next three months about the incident.<\/p>\n

Bradley requested $5 million for his silence after claiming Aaron was responsible for his injury. Aaron\u2019s agent responded with $1.5 million but Bradley countered with $2.5 million. Bradley filed a civil lawsuit for damages against Aaron in 2013, which was withdrawn four days later. Aaron\u2019s legal team filed a postponement request in federal court amid the football player\u2019s separate murder charges related to the Boston homicide.<\/p>\n

Aaron reached a settlement with Bradley in 2016 and the terms were never disclosed publicly. Aaron\u2019s attorney later said his client referred to Bradley getting shot as a drug deal gone wrong. The lawyer pointed to text messages sent by Bradley \u2014 and admitted into evidence \u2014 where Bradley admitted he didn\u2019t remember who shot him.<\/p>\n

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