American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez — release date, cast and everything we know about the Ryan Murphy series

Promo image of American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez
(Image credit: FX)

Ryan Murphy is known for his dramas and horror series, but he's also known for his take on true crime. In American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, Murphy explores the rise and fall of the NFL's Hernandez. 

Hernandez was a bright star in the NFL, spending three seasons as a tight end for the New England Patriots. Hernandez and teammate Rob Gronkowski were one of the most feared duos in football and together they went all the way to Super Bowl XLVI. But Hernandez's past caught up to him; no matter how bright his success, he was continually pulled into the world of drugs and violence from his youth. He was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013, which cemented his downward spiral.

This is the first installment in Murphy's American Sports Story franchise, which follows in the footsteps of American Crime Story and the fictional American Horror Story. Over the years, Murphy has tacked sensationalized crime stories involving O.J. Simpson, Bill Clinton, Jeffrey Dahmer and Gianni Versace. 

Here's everything we know about American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez. 

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez release date

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez premieres Tuesday, September 17, at 10 pm ET/PT on FX, with new episodes available to stream on Hulu the following day. 

We don't have a premiere date for UK viewers but as soon as one is available we'll have it for you right here. 

FX is available through most cable TV subscriptions, but if you've cut the cord you can watch FX on streaming platforms like Sling TV, FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez plot

Here's the official synopsis of American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez from FX: 

"The first installment of American Sports Story is based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc. from The Boston Globe and Wondery. The 10-episode limited series charts the rise and fall of NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez and explores the disparate strands of his identity, his family, his career, his suicide and their legacy in sports and American culture."

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez cast

Below you'll find the talented cast lined up for American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez:

  • Josh Rivera (West Side Story) as Aaron Hernandez
  • Jaylen Barron (Good Luck Charlie) as Shayanna Jenkins
  • Lindsay Mendez (Station 19) as Tanya Singleton
  • Ean Castellanos (Five Days at Memorial) as DJ Hernandez 
  • Tammy Blanchard (Into the Woods) as Terri Hernandez
  • Tony Yazbeck (Billions) as Urban Meyer
  • Patrick Schwarzenegger (Gen V) as Tim Tebow 
  • Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom) as Brian Murphy
  • Jake Cannavale (Burse Jackie) as Chris
  • Norbert Leo Butz (Dan in Real Life) as Bill Belichick

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez trailer

Take a look at the trailer for American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez below. 

American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez | Official Trailer | Josh Rivera, Ryan Murphy | FX - YouTube American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez | Official Trailer | Josh Rivera, Ryan Murphy | FX - YouTube
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Sarabeth Pollock
Editorial Content Producer

 

Sarabeth joined the What to Watch team in May 2022. An avid TV and movie fan, her perennial favorites are The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, true crime documentaries on Netflix and anything from Passionflix. You’ve Got Mail, Ocean's Eleven and Signs are movies that she can watch all day long. She's also a huge baseball fan, and hockey is a new favorite.  

When she's not working, Sarabeth hosts the My Nights Are Booked Podcast and a blog dedicated to books and interviews with authors and actors. She also published her first novel, Once Upon an Interview, in 2022.