TV American Sports Story chronicles the downfall of Aaron Hernandez in exclusive teaser trailer The New England Patriots tight end, convicted of murder in 2015, will be played by Josh Rivera. By Ryan Coleman Updated on August 8, 2024 10:50AM EDT Ryan Murphy's ever-expanding American Story universe is taking another giant leap forward. The first trailer for American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, which Entertainment Weekly can exclusively share below, will cover the stunning rise and scandalous fall of the New England Patriots tight end. Hernandez was drafted to the Patriots in 2010, and his star was on the rise. But during the 2013 off season, Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Odin Lloyd, a semi-professional player. Lloyd happened to be dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée at the time, leading to a outpouring of speculation that began to cohere around rumors that Lloyd had discovered secrets related to Hernandez's sexuality that he'd rather kill to silence than get out. Knowing the general bent of Murphy's projects with Color Force's Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, there's no doubt the series will delve into every nook and cranny of the case. The best sports movies and TV shows Aaron Hernandez at Attleboro District Court in 2015. John Tlumacki/Getty The case was covered in Netflix's 2020 docuseries Killer Inside, directed by Geno McDermott, but drama American Sports Story will take a different approach. This series will take the same shape as previous seasons of American Crime Story — utilizing an ensemble cast to recreate the pivotal moments in the case in question — but we haven't glimpsed first looks of the cast in character just yet. The American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez teaser trailer depicts Hernandez diving to intercept a pass from behind and slowly falling to the ground, soundtracked to a swirl of voiceover remarks about his crime. Comments like "shocking allegations reveal a history of violence," "Aaron Hernandez is a ticking time bomb," and "a waste of talent" also play over flashes of guns being shot and a brain scan (Hernandez was posthumously found to suffer from CTE, a potentially major factor in explaining his crimes.) Travis Kelce teases Ryan Murphy TV role in new Grotesquerie set videos: 'Buckle up!' Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. While on trial for the murder of Lloyd, Hernandez was charged with an additional set of homicides, that of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. He was acquitted in a 2017 trial, but committed suicide while being held in Massachusetts' Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center shortly thereafter. American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is anchored by a wonderfully balanced cast made up of seasoned professionals, rising stars, and beloved "oh, that guy!" character actors. Josh Rivera (West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) will star as Hernandez, with Patrick Schwarzenegger playing Tim Tebow, his Florida Gators teammate. How playing Chino in West Side Story helped Josh Andrés Rivera tap into Sejanus in The Hunger Games Hernandez's cousin Tanya Singleton, who played a role in the murder, will be portrayed by Broadway star Lindsay Mendez. Other cast highlights include Tony Yazbeck, a fellow Broadway star, as coach and commentator Urban Meyer; Tammy Blanchard as Hernandez's mother Terri; and Norbert Leo Butz as Patriots Coach Bill Belichick. The first installment of American Sports Story, from creator Stuart Zicherman, is based on the Boston Globe–Wondery podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. The series will premiere on September 17 on FX and next day on Hulu.