American Sports Story Episode 9 True Story: What The Show Changes

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Sports Story episode 9.

The penultimate episode of FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez changes several key details of the true story. Since the first two episodes of American Sports Story, the life and NFL career of Aaron Hernandez were headed toward a tragic and frightening endpoint that resulted in the former New England Patriot and star tight end receiving a lifetime prison sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd. From his emergence as an offensive weapon on Urban Meyer’s legendary yet controversial Florida Gators team and receiving the coveted John Mackey Award, ASS episode 9 depicts Hernandez behind bars in federal prison.

American Sports Story episode 9 “What’s Left Behind” places Hernandez’s ex-fiancee Shayanna Jenkins in the hot seat as she chooses to defend Hernandez through his arrest and murder conviction. The contents of the box that Hernandez asked Shayanna to dispose of remain a mystery in both the series and in reality. The series also depicts Hernandez’s agent Brian Murphy and his reaction to the news that Hernandez was implicated in a separate double homicide that occurred in 2012 in Boston. By the end of ASS episode 9, Hernandez began his life sentence on April 15, 2015, just months after the Patriots won their fourth franchise Super Bowl.

Bill Belichick Fielded Questions For 15 Minutes During The Patriots’ Hernandez Press Conference

Belichick’s character refuses to take questions in ASS

American Sports Story episode 9 briefly portrays the press conference that Bill Belichick held addressing the arrest and release of Aaron Hernandez from the Patriots in April 2013. After weeks of silence, Belichick participated in a 22-minute press conference in which he began with a six-minute statement about how he was shocked and hurt by the news. While the series captures most of the takeaways from his statement, it overtly ignores the fact that Belichick fielded questions from the press for at least 15 minutes following his official statement. Belichick held to his typically reserved and scripted demeanor and did acknowledge that it would be the last time he would speak about the matter. Still, he did not deny the opportunity for members of the press to ask him questions as the series portrays.

Aaron Hernandez’s Nanny Didn’t Speak To The Press Until After His 2015 Conviction

ASS leaves out a major detail about Hernandez’s real-life babysitter

The series portrays Jenkins accusing her nanny Brittany of providing photos of her daughter Avielle’s nursery inside the Hernandez home to tabloid news outlets. The real-life babysitter, Jennifer Fortier, did not reveal any pictures of Hernandez’s house to the press but did reveal that Hernandez had made a sexual advance on her the night before he killed Odin Lloyd. The series also makes it seem like the nanny went straight to the press following Hernandez’s arrest. It wasn’t until after his conviction and life sentence that she spoke to reporters about her experiences with Hernandez. Fortier also testified in 2015 at Hernandez’s murder trial where she initially revealed that she was with Hernandez the night he murdered Lloyd at his secret second apartment (via Fall River Herald).

The NFL’s $765 Settlement For Players With Head Trauma Did Not Pass Until 2015

A judge was concerned about veterans hitting the cap of $675 million

The massive $765 million settlement made by the NFL for former players suffering head trauma was introduced in 2013 but was not approved until 2015 with different stipulations. The NFL had been sued multiple times representing more than 5,000 former NFL players who alleged that the NFL actively downplayed the impact of head injuries experienced by their veterans. According to CNN, “i nitially there was a $765 million figure on the settlement with $675 million capped.” A judge “declined in January 2014 to approve the deal, saying she was concerned about the amount of money.” Despite the delays, the settlement was finally reached in April 2015 with no cap on the amount of funds for qualified NFL veterans although maximum payments for specific health issues ranged from $1.5 million to $5 million.

Carlos Ortiz Did Not Testify At Hernandez’s Murder Trial

Prosecutors believed he was an unreliable witness

American Sports Story depicts Carlos Ortiz testifying on the stand against Hernandez during the murder trial of Odin Lloyd. This never happened, as prosecutors believed that Ortiz was too unreliable to put on the stand after initially pleading not guilty. Ortiz eventually changed his plea to guilty and made a plea deal in 2016 after Hernandez had already been convicted. Ortiz testified twice in front of a judge before and after Hernandez’s murder trial but never when Hernandez was present in the courtroom as depicted in the series. He did, however, testify in front of Odin Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward, who attended the later trial (via CBS News).

A Judge Told Odin Lloyd’s Mother Not To Cry While On The Stand

Ward’s dramatized portrayal in ASS was more emotional than in reality

Odin Lloyd’s mother Ursula Ward is briefly depicted on the stand offering her testimony at her son’s murder trial. While the actress portraying Ward does not cry in the American Sports Story scene, a key detail is missing from the series that explains why Ward was not in tears in front of the court. The real-life Ward was notably unemotional on the stand because a judge reminded her before stating her testimony that it was crucial that she remain as emotionless as possible, which was obviously a daunting task. Ward appears to get emotional at the end of the ASS scene but is careful not to take it any further. In the actual trial, Ward was forced to endure looking at a picture of Lloyd’s dead body while maintaining her composure (via CNN).

American Sports Story Omits Robert Kraft’s Testimony At Hernandez’s Trial

Kraft and Belichick are one-dimensional and ineffective in ASS

American Sports Story episode 9 depicts a brief scene between Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft after finding out the news about Hernandez’s arrest. Despite the documented good relationship between Kraft and Hernandez which would have made a reenactment of Kraft’s testimony at Hernandez’s murder trial naturally compelling, the series chooses to focus more intently on Shayanna’s actions and decisions following Hernandez’s arrest. Kraft was on the stand for nearly 15 minutes and discussed several areas of his relationship and knowledge of Hernandez’s character and social life, which partly involved Hernandez mentioning Lloyd to Kraft on one occasion. As depicted in Netflix’s docuseries Killer Inside, it was a crushing moment for Hernandez as his criminal and celebrity lives collided.

Hernandez Had To Sit Down After Receiving The Jury’s Guilty Verdict

He also did not turn around and glare scornfully at Shayanna

The series portrays Aaron Hernandez getting immediately cuffed and looking scarily angry at Shayanna after he received his guilty verdict from the jury for killing Lloyd. American Sports Story leaned into a fabricated narrative angle that Hernandez was upset at Shayanna for choosing to testify against him in exchange for immunity despite her statements ultimately having little sway in the trial compared to the overwhelming amount of evidence. In reality, Hernandez stood up as he received the verdict, which meant life in prison without parole, but immediately sat down after the verdict was made. He also did not turn around and glare scornfully at his ex-fiancee, as if to blame her for the outcome as depicted in the penultimate episode of American Sports Story.

Sources: Fall River Herald, CNN

American Sports Story is a TV show from Stu Zicherman and executive produced by Ryan Murphy. The series stars Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow. The sports anthology series serves as the fourth installment in Murphy’s “American Story” franchise.

Cast

Josh Andrés Rivera , Patrick Schwarzenegger

Character(s)

Shaneah Jenkins , Shayanna Jenkins , Aaron Hernandez , Tanya Singleton , Terri Hernandez , ‘Chris’ , Dennis Hernandez , Urban Meyer , Tim Tebow , Carlos ‘Charlie Boy’ Ortiz , Alexander Sherrod , Ernest ‘Bo’ Wallace , Steve Addazio , Dennis Sansoucie , Jeff Cummings , Sports Reporter , Mr. Marzigalli , Coach Morgan , Uncle Bobby , DJ Hernandez (Age 4) , Emcee , Basketball Player , Trainer , Principal Seligman , Pastor

Release Date

September 17, 2024

Seasons

1

Writers

Ryan Farley , Liz Tuccillo , Tracey Scott Wilson

Directors

Paris Barclay , Carl Franklin

Producers

Brad Simpson , Scott Robertson , Nellie Reed , Lee Edward Colston , Todd Nenninger , Tanase Popa , Hernan Lopez , Eric Kovtun , Hadi Nicholas Deeb , Gail Barringer , Ira Napoliello , Matthew Hodgson , Carl Franklin , Sara Stelwagen , Nina Jacobson , Marshall Lewy , David Woods , Alexis Martin Woodall , Tyson Bidner , Stuart Zicherman , Ryan Murphy , Monica Levinson , Lou Eyrich

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