Netflix’s latest chilling docuseries, Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, looks at the life behind the troubled football star and what might have motivated him to commit the crimes he was charged with.
Hernandez was a talented NFL player who played for the New England Patriots and captured the heart of America. But fans were shocked when he was arrested for the murder of his friend Odin Lloyd, then evidence was found linking him to another double murder that occurred just before he signed his $40 million contract.
A seemingly sweet yet strapping family man, Hernandez was hiding many secrets behind his beaming smile. The docuseries reveals and discusses many of them, but there are some details they leave out.
His Father Had A Criminal Past
It’s evident from the docuseries that Hernandez did not have a great relationship with his mother, and that his father was quite strict, they didn’t get into much detail about his parents’ past. They married in 1986 and divorced 5 years later, only to remarry in 1996.
But there was more: his father Dennis had run-ins with the law as a teenager, including being questioned after the murder of a police officer when he was in college. Though he appeared to have pulled himself together once he had a family and came across as a hardworking family man, there were still incidents. When Aaron was 3, for example, Dennis was arrested for allegedly trying to buy cocaine from an undercover police officer. And there was another incident when he punched Aaron’s youth football coach and settled in small claims court.
He Was Half Italian
While the series shows clips of Hernandez discussing his pride in being one of not many Hispanics in the NFL, he was actually only one-half Puerto Rican. His father Dennis was of Puerto Rican descent, but his mother, Terri Valentine, was Italian.
While the actual breakdown of his ancestry would require a full DNA test and examining the results of his heritage, it’s clear he was only half Hispanic and half European. Given how much he identified with his father, however, it’s no surprise that he focused more on his Puerto Rican roots.
His Family Filed For Bankruptcy in the ‘90s
The family had racked up many credit card debts and other and in 1999, when Aaron was just 9 years old, they had to file for bankruptcy. No doubt this had an impact on the child, who had just seen his parents get a divorce and get back together again.
This might also have something to do with his mother’s criminal past: she was reportedly arrested once when Aaron was 11 for participating in an underground sports gambling bookie operation. It was run out of the family home.
His Brother Has Gone Off Social Media
While Aaron was clearly a troubled soul, it appears his older brother DJ might have come out of their troubled family life with a more level head. He authored a book, The Truth About Aaron: My Journey to Understand My Brother where he discussed their difficult and abusive upbringing.
Also a football player, he went on to work as a coach, but then left to embark on a book tour. While he is married and has kids now, he has deleted all of his social media presence, preferring to live a life away from the spotlight.
He Set Several High School Football Records
While what Hernandez was accused and convicted of doing was deplorable, there’s no denying that he was a true talent when it came to football. In Connecticut, he set state records with 1,807 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. His career 31 touchdowns also tied the state record.
Additionally, he held the record for the state for receiving yards in a single game at 376 and set the national high school record for yards receiving per game at a total of 180.7.
He Was Once Knocked Out in a Game
We know from the docuseries that Hernandez was suffering from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition often associated with the hard blows to the head that football players experience. And this, as noted in the docuseries, is likely something that occurred slowly over time, getting worse and worse.
But Hernandez was actually once hit so hard in a game that he had to be taken away by ambulance. During a game in 2006, a hit to the head we didn’t see coming led to him being totally knocked out and having to be taken off the field.
He Drank A Lot
The docuseries focused a lot of Hernandez’s love of drugs and violence but didn’t mention his drinking. Reportedly, he also drank a lot as well which may have contributed to his behavior and the crowd he chose to hang around with.
Hernandez’s father Dennis was also known to drink and physically abuse Aaron and his brother D.J., sometimes when he was under the influence of alcohol. It’s not clear if Hernandez was under the influence of alcohol during the time he allegedly committed the crimes for which he was charged. Nonetheless, he wasn’t a stranger to alcohol.
He Graduated Early To Go To Florida
Many believe that Hernandez was not emotionally ready to start college at the tender age of 17. But not only did he start that early, but he was also allowed to graduate a semester early so he could move to Florida and learn the team’s playbook.
To compensate for the missed schooling and not being properly academically prepared for college, Hernandez had to take remedial courses at a Community College. He wasn’t the only person on the team who had to do the same.
He Took Bogus Classes
While in college, Hernandez’s focus was almost exclusively on football, spending a reported 40-60 hours per week all year participating in games, practices, team meetings, and other football-related events.
Of course he still had to attend classes to earn his college degree. But the classes he chose were clearly selected in hopes that they would be easy credits. They included ones like bowling, theater appreciation, wildlife issues, and “plants, gardening and you.” He did relatively well, though, with mostly Bs in his first semester.
He Sold His Jersey Number
When Chad Johnson (Ochocinco) was traded to the team, Hernandez inked a deal to sell him the No. 85 jersey so he could go back to his old college number, No. 81. He reportedly sold the jersey and number to Johnson for $50,000, though they originally said the number switch was just a friendly gesture between new teammates.
The funds were reportedly used for illicit activities between Hernandez and his cousin’s husband, T.L. Singleton. The loan was repaid with significant interest at a reported $120,000.
