The new FX series American Sports Story heavily implies that Aaron Hernandez was molested as a child. 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 episode 3 chronicles Hernandez’s celebrity status and religious considerations at the University of Florida.

American Sports Story episode 4 overviews more of the details of Hernandez’s transition from being the 2010 John Mackey Award winner to having his draft stock plummet ahead of the NFL Draft due to off-the-field concerns. Episode 4 also introduces Hernandez’s longtime agent, Brian Murphy, who is the CEO of Athletes First, one of the top management companies for professional athletes in the country. As part of his NFL scouting process at the 2010 NFL Combine, Hernandez took the Wonderlic test and notably scored lower than the average among other tight ends. The episode begins with Aaron being alone in his room with his uncle, Robert “Bobby” Valentine.

Aaron Hernandez Did Admit To Being Sexually Abused As A Child

Hernandez himself never opened up publicly about the subject

American Sports Story episode 4 begins abruptly with a scene suggesting that Hernandez was molested or sexually abused as a young child. Aaron and his older brother D.J. are portrayed as young children at the start of episode 4 who appear to be in elementary school. D.J. is playing outside in the yard with some friends when he goes inside his house looking for his little brother. D.J. wonders why the door is closed and begins knocking when an older man identified as Uncle Bobby walks out, explaining that he was giving Aaron his “birthday money”, which is the title of the episode. Young Aaron sits on the bed and pushes his brother as he storms off.

The real-life Aaron Hernandez disclosed to several people, including his brother D.J., that he had been molested as a child. It’s plausible that Aaron told his brother who else was involved in the scenario but that information was never made public. Hernandez himself never opened up publicly about his sexual abuse as a child. It is, however, considered to be legitimate and one of the several sources of his overall internal conflict, along with his battles with impulsivity and rage, advanced stage CTE, and closeted gayness. D.J. Hernandez never disclosed that he had ever witnessed Aaron’s sexual abuse. It’s unclear when exactly Aaron told this information to his brother.

Aaron Hernandez’s Uncle Robert Valentine Was Never Linked To His Sexual Abuse

Valentine was killed in 2013 in a moped crash

Aaron’s claim of being molested as a child has been upheld by Aaron’s brother D.J. Hernandez, who goes by Jonathan nowadays, as well as one of his attorneys, George Leontire. There is, however, no record that Aaron Hernandez’s uncle Robert Valentine was ever linked to his sexual abuse. According to ESPN, “Jonathan Hernandez told [The Boston] Globe that Aaron Hernandez disclosed later in his adult life that he had been molested as a young boy. One of Aaron’s lawyers in his criminal case also said Aaron spoke to him of sexual abuse as a child. Neither was willing to identify the perpetrator to the Globe.” There was never any documented or reported inappropriate link between the two.

Since Ryan Murphy and the development team of American Sports Story never talked to Aaron’s family when creating the series, it’s unlikely they got this alleged link between Aaron and his Uncle Bobby from a credible source. Valentine was one of two of Hernandez’s relatives who died in two separate motor vehicle crashes during the summer of 2013 (via ESPN). Valentine was killed on August 4, 2013, in a moped crash. It’s plausible that, since it’s not possible to defame a deceased person, American Sports Story took the creative liberty of characterizing Uncle Bobby as Aaron’s abuser.

Was Aaron Hernadnez’s Uncle A Convicted Felon?

The real-life Robert Valentine had no criminal record

Aaron’s uncle Robert Valentine, who was the biological brother of Aaron’s mother Terri Hernandez, had a clean criminal record. This indicates that he wasn’t arrested and did not serve jail time for exposing himself on a school bus as American Sports Story claims through a fictional conversation between Brian Murphy and D.J. Hernandez at the Athletes First training facility. This major true story change allowed the series to infuse a permanent resentment between Aaron and his brother at the expense of Robert Valentine’s reputation. Additionally, it sparked a heated confrontation between Aaron and D.J. in American Sports Story episode 4. In truth, Aaron’s abuser has never been identified.

Source: ESPN