WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Sports Story.Many players on the 2008 University of Florida football team were arrested, as depicted in the FX/Hulu series American Sports Story. Josh Rivera leads the American Sports Story cast as Aaron Hernandez, the former collegiate and NFL superstar tight end who was convicted of murdering semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd in 2015. The first two episodes of American Sports Story capture a basic understanding of Aaron Hernandez’s complicated upbringing, tumultuous family life, and accelerated path to becoming a Florida Gator before joining the NFL’s New England Patriots in 2010. American Sports Story portrays several NFL players and coaches including Hernandez.

American Sports Story chronicles the peak of head coach Urban Meyer’s tenure at the University of Florida, leading the Gators to national championship victories in 2006 and 2008. Despite the University of Florida having one of the best football programs in the country, and arguably one of the most talented collegiate rosters of all time, several players had real-life run-ins with the law, which placed the organization’s reputation in jeopardy. Hernandez was among the players who were arrested after he got into a bar fight over an unpaid $12 tab. He was also questioned in a shooting that took place in Gainesville but never faced criminal charges, as depicted in American Sports Story.

American Sports Story references 21 players on the 2008 University of Florida football team, including future NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton, who stole a laptop and faced several felony charges. As depicted in the series, head coach Urban Meyer was forced to deal with these numerous arrests as they not only jeopardized the futures of his very talented football team but the entire University of Florida football organization at large. Meyer is called to meet with the President of the university to answer for these various unlawful actions done by his players and justify his decision to keep them all on the team instead of cutting them.

During Urban Meyer’s meeting with University of Florida President Bernie Machen in American Sports Story, President Machen noted a total of 21 Florida players who had been arrested over the past three years. Meyer tries to rationalize the excessive number, saying that they’re young kids who are prone to make mistakes. The President responded by saying that the football program is becoming a stain on the university and Meyer must enforce some disciplinary measures to stop the bleeding. Meyer understands but is enraged as he storms out of the President’s office, saying, “Would we even be having this conversation if we were 8-0?“.

While American Sports Story references 21 arrests during Meyer’s first three years as head coach, a total of 31 University of Florida football players were arrested during his six seasons as their head coach. American Sports Story depicts Meyer having to make an example out of one of his players as a result. Ultimately, the series 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. Other players, like Hernandez, received suspensions.

After having 21 players arrested during his first three seasons as the head coach of the University of Florida, Meyer would improve and reduce that number to just 10 over his final three seasons with the team. Many of the players were arrested because of possession of cannabis or battery/assault. Some of the most shocking and serious arrests include Jamar Hornsby, who stole a deceased Florida student’s credit card and used it to make more than 70 purchases totaling more than $3,000. He was one of the few players who were ultimately cut from the team, while most of the arrested players faced little to no discipline from the University of Florida and had their charges dropped.

Many of the University of Florida players had their felony charges altered to misdemeanors or dropped completely. While many of the arrests made were for weed possession, assault, and theft, some specific incidents were more severe or odd. In December 2009, Carlos Dunlap was charged with a DUI after falling asleep at a stoplight. Chris Rainey was charged with felony stalking in September 2010. Jacques Rickerson was charged with felony domestic violence in November 2008 and was immediately released from the team. As depicted in American Sports Story, Hernandez was not the only Florida Gator who had legal issues.

Source: Chat Sports