American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez review- A tragic fall from grace

FX’s American Sports Story is a sports anthology series that delves into various controversial stories. Season 1, which is set to include 10 episodes, premiered recently on September 17, with the first two episodes now available to view on the FX channel and Hulu.

Created by Ryan Murphy, American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez delves into the incredible rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez, one of the most talented youngsters the NFL ever saw. Convicted back in 2017 for the murder of his close friend Odin Lloyd, Hernandez had a dramatic fall from grace.

Hernandez had initially joined the NFL back in 2010 and even earned a $40 million contract extension with the New England Patriots. However, a promising career quickly came to an end following the conviction.

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez delves into the story of the former NFL player, and focuses on his past as well as his troubles with his s*xual identity.

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American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez focuses on one of the most drastic fall from grace seen in sports

The documentary delves into one of the most bizarre and dramatic fall from graces seen in worldwide sports. Aaron Hernandez was a tight end at the University of Florida and even won the college championship in 2009. His NFL debut came back in 2010, as he was a round 4 pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

Playing for the New England Patriots, Hernandez quickly made a name for himself and was regarded as one of the best tight-end prospects in the league. His early performances led to a $40 million contract extension. However, in 2013, Hernandez was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd, who was known to be dating the sister of his fiance.

Regardless, the resulting trial concluded in 2017, as he was convicted of a life sentence for murder and related charges. He was also tried for the double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, which occurred in 2012. However, he was acquitted of the latter but was convicted for the murder of Lloyd.

Hernandez was later found dead in his prison cell at the age of 27. This led to a humongous media frenzy as a once-prodigious sportsperson met his demise in such a tragic manner. American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez not only deals with his meteoric rise in the NFL but also his concerning past, which is said to have contributed to his crimes.

The first two episodes notably delved into his sexuality, as Hernandez was known to be bisexual, albeit secretly. The documentary included a range of dramatized sequences showcasing the kind of efforts he underwent to hide his sexuality from the world. Further, the kind of pressure associated with the sport also added to his demons, as Hernandez was known to have suffered from homophobia right from his teenage years.

The documentary offers a grim take on his life and attempts to decipher how his past intersected with his present life. The first two episodes notably delved into the kind of bullying Hernandez had to suffer from right from his high school days.

While stocky right from school, Hernandez was also introverted but had a short temper. The eventual NFL star would often be embroiled in violence in school, and a majority of the incidents emanated from bullying related to his s*xual identity.

Although American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez has till date only seen the release of two episodes, the series is set to explore a never-seen-before side of Hernandez’s life. The narrative aims to decipher exactly how his past, both with respect to poverty and his identity, played a part in his eventual crimes.

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A stellar narrative to say the least, the series delves into the kind of internal conflicts that always troubled the former NFL superstar and how he lived two different lives. Created and executive produced by Stuart Zicherman, The American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is now available to stream on Hulu.