WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Sports Story episodes 1 & 2.The new Hulu/FX limited series American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez re-examines one of the most chilling off-the-field true stories in the history of the National Football League. American Sports Story is the first dramatized series to tackle the true-crime story of Aaron Hernandez and the murder of Odin Lloyd after Netflix’s in-depth docuseries Killer Inside. Created by Stuart Zicherman (The Americans) and executive produced by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story), American Sports Story will span 10 episodes with new weekly episodes released every Tuesday from September 17 until November 12, 2024.

Josh Andrés Rivera leads the cast of American Sports Story as Aaron Hernandez. Episode 1 “If It’s to Be” chronicles Hernandez’s stern upbringing in Bristol, Connecticut, while episode 2 “Consequences, with Extreme Prejudice” dives into his collegiate career at the University of Florida. Even though the series is based on a true story, and features dozens of actor portrayals of real-life players, coaches, friends, and family members who knew Aaron Hernandez, the series does take certain creative liberties for the sake of dramatization. With that being said, there are several real-life events depicted in American Sports Story that are based on factual accounts, witness testimony, and headlining news reports.

American Sports Story Presents Hernadez’s Murder Attempt Of Alexander Bradley As Fact

The opening scene of American Sports Story depicts Aaron Hernandez shooting a gun point blank at Alexander “Sherrod” Bradley’s head while he was sleeping in his car. Sherrod is a man from South Florida who knew Aaron when he was playing for the New England Patriots in the NFL. The scene as it plays out in American Sports Story matches Sherrod’s testimony during a 2017 trial for a double homicide case in Boston. Sherrod was given immunity for appearing as a witness and testifying against Aaron. Otherwise, he would have been sitting right next to him on the side of the defense.

As seen in Netflix’s Killer Inside docuseries, celebrity lawyer Jose Baez, who was defending Hernandez at the time, presented a text message that Sherrod had sent to his attorney. The text revealed that Sherrod didn’t truthfully remember who had shot him in Florida and was focused on whether or not he would be found guilty of perjury if he revealed the truth after the fact. This evidence proved to the jury that Hernandez did not actually try to kill Sherrod and seemed to be trying to get revenge on Hernandez, which led to him being found not guilty of the double homicide.

Tim Tebow Tried To Break Up Hernadez’s Fight With Bartender & Offered To Pay The Bill

As depicted in American Sports Story, Aaron Hernandez was involved in a fight with a bartender/bar manager at a local restaurant in Gainesville, Florida called The Swamp. Nearly everything about the scene is factually based on multiple news reports and even police records, except for a few key details and superstar quarterback Tim Tebow’s role in the ordeal. Hernandez refused to pay the $12 bill, thinking that the drinks were already paid for, and sucker punched the bartender on the left side of the head. According to the Ocala StarBanner, “Tebow told police he tried to break up the argument, identifying himself and Hernandez as UF players. Tebow said he asked Hernandez to leave and offered to pay the bill.”

In American Sports Story, Tebow is much less involved, only sticking around to thank the Florida Gators’ unofficial attorney/fixer Huntley Johnson before exiting the frame. Police records showed that Hernandez and Tebow called Urban Meyer themselves and asked for help after running and hiding around the side of the bar. That appears to be how Huntley Johnson arrived at the scene. There is also no record of Hernandez fighting with a security guard either, as Hernandez is shown punching a bouncer at the bar as well. In both reality and American Sports Story, Hernandez was never arrested or charged with battery even though the bartender claimed his eardrum had burst.

American Sports Story frames Cam Newton as a scapegoat who took the harshest punishment after several players, including Hernandez, had gotten arrested or implicated for various crimes. In reality, Newton was suspended from the Gators after receiving felony charges for stealing a laptop but made the decision to transfer on his own accord. According to ESPN, Cam Newton was arrested on charges of burglary, larceny, and obstruction of justice in 2008 and ultimately transferred to another college just three days before the Gators’ National Championship victory. In an unlikely turn of events, Newton would go on to with the Heisman Trophy and lead the Auburn Tigers to a National Championship victory just two years later.

D.J. Hernandez Was Not Demoted From UConn’s Starting Quarterback Role Because Aaron Went To Florida

American Sports Story implies that D.J. Hernandez, Aaron’s older brother who was the UConn Huskies’ starting quarterback in 2006, was at risk of being punished by head coach Randy Edsall when Aaron chose to go to Florida after committing to UConn. In the series, the coach gives D.J. an ultimatum, indicating that it would be challenging to keep him as the starting QB unless Aaron was a Huskie. According to UConn’s website, D.J. Hernandez “selflessly volunteered to move from quarterback to wide receiver during the spring” of the 2007 season and would go on to become one of their most productive wide receivers.

Urban Meyer Claimed He Never Encouraged Aaron Hernandez To Graduate From High School Early

American Sports Story depicts Florida Gators’ head coach Urban Meyer meeting with Terri Hernandez and the Bristol Central High School Principal at the Hernandez home. In the scene, Meyer makes it clear that he believes Aaron would greatly benefit by graduating from high school early in order to get down to Gainesville and get adjusted to the playbook and program.

According to The Boston Globe, “Meyer said he did not recall meeting with Hernandez’s high school principal and “never pushed someone” to graduate high school early, although he sees it as a positive jump-start to college for many recruits.” Additionally, The Boston Globe reported that Meyer “minimized his role in bringing Hernandez to Florida, saying it was mostly the work of his assistant coach, Addazio, and that he got involved “in the back half of the recruiting.”

There’s No Record Of Tanya Singleton Confronting Terri Hernandez At Aaron’s High School Basketball Game

There’s no record of Aaron’s cousin Tanya Singleton confronting Terri Hernandez about sleeping with her husband Jeff Cummings at one of Aaron’s high school basketball games. While the affair did happen and resulted in Aaron spending more time at Tanya’s house, where he met Ernest ‘Bo’ Wallace and Carlos Ortiz, the specific scene that interrupted Aaron’s high school basketball game appears to be dramatized in American Sports Story.

There’s No Evidence That Aaron Hernandez Used Dating Websites To Meet & Hookup With Other Men

Aaron Hernandez is depicted using websites to meet up with other men in American Sports Story during his time in Gainesville, Florida. Hernandez never stated that he had hooked up with other men in private while being a member of the Florida Gators football team, nor has anyone from the area made those claims.

The scene appears to be added to include the theme of Aaron’s closeted homosexuality and how that contributed to his identity and anger issues. These themes were first introduced in American Sports Story episode 1 with his high school teammate Dennis Sansoucie, who in real life has confirmed that he and Aaron were intimate several times.

Source: Killer Inside, Ocala StarBanner, ESPN, UConn, The Boston Globe