American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez doesn’t just focus on its titular character, but the surrounding athletes whose career overlapped with his – and one of those football players is portrayed by an actor who’s finally getting to live out an unrealized goal. As one of the real NFL players to appear in American Sports Story, the character in question went on to become one of the best of all time at his position. The person playing him in the American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez cast will be grateful for snagging the role for more reasons than one.

Making it in the NFL isn’t a guarantee, even for the lucky group of players who manage to make the jump from the collegiate level. Aaron Hernandez’s football career was certainly on the right trajectory in terms of his on-the-field performance, but his crimes made it impossible for him to continue playing. That being said, the player’s incarceration didn’t leave the New England Patriots short of a star tight end. The NFL’s next-man-up philosophy allowed Hernandez’s former teammate to step even more firmly into the limelight, and the actor playing him in American Sports Story is enjoying a similar phenomenon.

Rob Gronkowski Actor Laith Wallschleger Almost Played In The NFL

Wallschleger trained with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent

The Patriots had a stellar draft year in 2010 when they took two elite tight ends. Although Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski was chosen ahead of Hernandez, both players went on to become a vital part of Bill Belichick’s Tom Brady-led offensive. In American Sports Story, Gronk is played by former athlete Laith Wallschleger. After spending a pre-season as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2015, Wallschleger never made the team’s 53-man roster and was cut ahead of the regular season. That was the end of his NFL journey.

Wallschleger played his college football for Delaware University’s Fightin’ Blue Hens before graduating in 2014. Although his attempts to make the NFL didn’t quite pan out, graduating with a minor in theater (via Sportskeeda) certainly set him up for his acting career. Wallschleger’s casting as Gronk in American Sports Story allows the defensive end-turned-actor to step into the shoes of an NFL athlete. It may not be quite the same as actually playing in the NFL, but it’s an impressive way of simulating the experience that also ties into his apparent backup plan to go into the performing arts.

Hernandez and Wallschleger both played in Florida

Although he never made an NFL roster, Wallschleger did play one season of pro football for the Jacksonville Sharks of the now-defunct Arena Football League. The team was based in Florida, which is where Hernandez spent three years playing as a Gator at the state’s eponymous university. Wallschleger racked up 7 tackles during the 2016 AFL season (via StatsCrew). Of course, the real person on which American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is based had already been in prison for a year during Wallschleger’s short AFL career, but it still creates an interesting connection.

Sources: Sportskeeda, StatsCrew