What is Aaron Hernandez ethnicity? Exploring ex-Florida Gators star’s background

Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez has taken up a lot of column inches, from his playing days with the all-conquering Florida Gators to his escapades during his NFL playing days.

In this article, we look at Hernandez's ethnicity and family situation. He's the son of Terri Valentine-Hernandez and Dennis Hernandez, who got married in 1986, divorced in 1991 and got remarried in 1996.

His father, Dennis, was Puerto Rican while his mother, Terri, was of Italian descent, which makes Aaron half Puerto Rican and half Italian. According to ESPN, the couple was involved in various crimes, which might have impacted how Hernandez turned out.

Aaron had an older brother, Dennis Jonathan Jr., and they detailed a history of physical and emotional abuse by their father towards them.

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Aaron Hernandez' football dominance and controversies

Aaron Hernandez was heavily recruited. Florida coach Urban Meyer even traveled to Connecticut to convince his principal to let him graduate a semester early so that he could join the Gators.

Together, they won the BCS national championship in 2009 as part of the dominant Gators team dubbed 'Swamp Kings' that are the subject of a Netflix documentary.

Hernandez was a first-team All-SEC and All-American. Moreover, he was awarded the John Mackey awarded to the best tight end in the country. Although he was picked No. 113 overall in the draft by the New England Patriots mostly due to his off-field issues, controversy was just around the corner.

In 2012, he was indicted for the double murders of immigrants Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado by shooting into their car. Apparently, the issue began due to a misunderstanding at a night club, but he was cleared of the murders in 2017.

He was arrested and convicted of killing Odin Lloyd in 2013 but was immediately released by the New England Patriots. Hernandez was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2015. He lost his endorsement deal with Puma, was dropped from the EA Sports college football game and was scrapped from the Gators' record books.

According to the Boston Globe, while in jail, he reportedly made a comment to his mother that shocked everyone.

"I've been the most relaxed and less stressed in jail than I have out of jail."

Aaron Hernandez was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy after his death by suicide in jail in 2017, a condition that's credited with influencing some of his controversial behavior.