Ryan Murphy is back with another headline-grabbing show.
American Sports History: Aaron Hernandez in the latest episode of Murphy’s larger American History Universe and focuses on former NFL player Aaron Hernandez, who was arrested and convicted of the murder of Odin Lloyd after three seasons with the New England Patriots.
While the series definitely focuses on his youth, his college years, and his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (a neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head injuries that he was posthumously diagnosed with), the recently released trailer also suggests that his sexuality will be the focus…
Hernandez had a difficult life, dealing with abuse, violence, sexual abuse, and repeated traumatic brain injuries because of his football. He eventually took his own life while in prison. During his struggle, there was much rumor and speculation about his personal life and sexuality.
In a 2018 Boston Globe ArticleDennis SanSoucie, Hernandez’s high school friend and teammate, said the two began an “on-and-off sexual relationship” in middle school that continued through high school.
“He and I tried very hard to hide what we were doing,” SanSoucie said. “We didn’t want people to know.”
“I just denied it… because I was an athlete.” he later said oxygen. “‘Are you telling me the quarterback and the tight end were gay? He was sleeping with other men?’ No, that doesn’t sit well with people. It doesn’t sit well with us, even at that time.”
Hernandez’s brother, Jonathan Hernandez, said: Homophobia was a regular part of the abuse which they learned from their father.
“‘Faggot’ was used all the time in our house. All the time,” he said. “Standing up. Talking. Acting. Watching. My father didn’t want anyone to look like that in our household. It wasn’t acceptable to him.”
Jonathan Hernandez also wrote a book, The Truth About Aaron: My Way to Understand My Brotherwhere he said that he once asked Aaron if he was gay.
“‘If it’s you, I don’t care,’ I said. ‘I love you. You’re my brother,'” the book says. “‘Don’t ever ask me that again,’ Aaron said. ‘If you say that again, I’ll fucking kill you.'”
At the time of his arrest, Hernandez was engaged to Shayanna Jenkins, a girl he had known since elementary school; together they had a daughter.
Hernandez was a very troubled man and his obvious shame about his sexuality was one of the many things that caused him problems.
American sports history The cast includes Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez, Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow, Tony Yazbeck as Urban Meyer, Norbert Leo Butz as Bill Belichick, as well as Lindsay Mendez, Jake Cannavale, Catfish Jean, Jaylen Barron, Tammy Blanchard, Ean Castellanos, Thomas Sadoski, Kwadarrius Smith and Casey Sullivan. The series will premiere on FX with two episodes on September 17.
