‘American Sports Story’ Season 1: Ryan Murphy Show Details

Aaron Hernandez will be the center of Ryan Murphy‘s upcoming TV show American sports story.

The limited series about the late NFL star will be based on The Boston Sphere and Wondery’s “Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc” podcast series, which was released in 2018.

The upcoming series is an offshoot of Murphy’s American story franchise – follows the ups and downs of Hernandez’s life, “including exploring his identity, his family, his career, his death and his legacy,” according to a Variety report from November 2023.

Hernandez was a tight end for the New England Patriots from 2010 to 2013. He was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd in June 2013 and convicted two years later. In April 2015, Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder. He was subsequently charged with the double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in 2012, but was acquitted in April 2017. Days after the acquittal, Hernandez committed suicide in prison.

American sports story was originally picked up by FX in August 2021. At the time, it was revealed to be an anthology series based on various events in the sports world.

Josh Andres Riverawho will star as Hernandez in the upcoming series, spoke candidly about the “unique and cool challenge” of playing the late athlete.

“It’s a multi-factorial story, as anyone familiar with it will undoubtedly know. There’s the mental health factor, the crime factor, the money, the fame, all these things,” he said Deadline in November 2023. “As an actor, it’s kind of like a dream to have something so juicy to dive into.”

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Who will star in season 1 of ‘American Sports Story’?

Rivera is “excited” to take on the role of Hernandez and will undergo a physical transformation before stepping into the former NFL star’s shoes.

“They try to make me as big as possible. NFL form is a pretty tall order. They are real big boys,” he told Deadline.

Patrick Schwarzenegger will also star in the series as Hernandez’s University of Florida teammate and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.

“I play Tim Tebow!! I’m pumped,” Schwarzenegger shared via Instagram in November 2023. “This story is so wild. Aaron Hernandez had a wild life and a wild career. I’m a huge football fan and I only knew a little bit of the full story… it’s crazy! Honored to be a part of this and play such an amazing character. I can’t wait to bring this story to life.”

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The cast is being finalized Tony Yazbeck And Lindsay Mendez which will portray University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer and Tanya Singleton, Hernandez’s cousin, respectively.

What is season 1 of ‘American Sports Story’ about?

The limited series follows Hernandez’s life before his death in 2017. It is based on the 2018 podcast series titled ‘Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc’, released in collaboration with The Boston sphere and Wonderful.

Does ‘American Sports Story’ have a release date?

FX has not yet announced a release date for American sports story season 1.