American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez Season Finale and Key Insights from Episode 9

The FX series ‘American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez‘ is nearing its conclusion, with the season finale set to air next Tuesday at 10 PM. The penultimate episode, titled ‘What’s Left Behind,’ has garnered significant attention for its portrayal of key events in Aaron Hernandez’s life and trial.

In episode 9, the show depicts Hernandez’s ex-fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, sitting with Hernandez’s mother, Terri, during his murder trial, rather than with her own sister, Shaena. This decision is accurate to real life and reflects the complicated family dynamics that emerged during Hernandez’s legal battles. Shayanna chose to support Hernandez to keep their family unit intact, particularly for the sake of their daughter, Avielle.

The episode also recreates the emotional moment when Shayanna and Terri sobbed together in court following Hernandez’s guilty verdict. On the other side of the court were Shaena and Odin Lloyd‘s mother, Ursula Ward. This scene highlights the deep divisions and emotional toll of Hernandez’s actions on those closest to him.

Despite some creative liberties taken by the show, it accurately portrays Shayanna’s loyalty to Hernandez until the very end. There is no record of Hernandez blaming Shayanna for his circumstances, even though she testified against him in exchange for immunity regarding a suspicious box he had asked her to dispose of.

The series, part of Ryan Murphy‘s ‘American Story’ franchise, stars Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow. It has been praised for its detailed exploration of Hernandez’s life, from his NFL career with the New England Patriots to his tragic downfall.