Bill Belichick, now head football coach at the University of North Carolina, has admitted that he knew Aaron Hernandez was 'different' during their time together with the New England Patriots. However, he insists he was unaware of the tight end's 'darker side' until after the tragic events of 2013 and 2015.
Speaking on Hang Out with Sean Hannity, Belichick said: 'There were a lot of things to like about Aaron, and then Aaron had another side to him that, I guess a lot of us didn't see.'
Hernandez's NFL career ended abruptly in 2013 when he was arrested for the murder of acquaintance Odin Lloyd. The former University of Florida tight end was convicted in 2015 and later acquitted for the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. Days after his acquittal, in April 2017, Hernandez died by suicide in prison at age 27. He was posthumously diagnosed with a severe case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease that some have linked to violent behavior.
Prior to his arrest, Hernandez was known as a mercurial star. Although he had never been arrested before 2013, he had a reputation for drug use and was reportedly linked to several violent incidents leading up to Lloyd's murder. However, Belichick remembered another side of Hernandez, whom the Patriots rewarded with a five-year, $39.58 million contract extension in August 2012.
'Aaron was very smart,' Belichick said. 'He was different… Look, we gave him a contract extension a year before that. There was obviously a darker side to Aaron that…'
'Seems painful for you,' Hannity interjected. Hannity, an NFL fan who lived in the New York area when Belichick was the Giants' defensive coordinator, suggested that Hernandez's talent may have put him at greater risk. 'You know, it's amazing,' Hannity said. 'I would say about some people that their blessing sometimes is a curse — and I don't know what was going on with him, you know, I've read so much about it… It's tragic.'
'That's a good way to put it,' Belichick agreed.
Belichick also criticized CBS News, suggesting that his infamous interview last year with girlfriend Jordon Hudson was deceptively edited. The interview went viral after Hudson intervened and shut down a line of questioning about how she met the coach. It put their relationship under even greater scrutiny, leading to public inquests and questions about Hudson's role within the UNC football program all summer long.
'You know, as we've seen recently, there have been more editing problems, and they go back over a couple of years — multiple examples of editing and interview process and all that,' Belichick said. 'You know, I thought that the interview I had with them was done very deceptively. I've asked for the transcript from them, and they won't give it to me. They've done that with others. I'm not really sure what that policy is.'
Belichick continued: 'I'm kind of confused about some of the things that they [CBS] say they are, but I don't really see them living up to the trust that they talk about.'
Later in the interview, Belichick addressed another controversy: his snub from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Belichick's absence from the honor in his first year of eligibility was a shock to many in the NFL and beyond.
'Honestly, I've been very focused on my job at the University of North Carolina and the players and the university there,' Belichick explained. 'So, you know, whatever happens, happens. But I'm proud of what we accomplished as teams at New England and certainly at the Giants, and proud of those relationships. So that's what matters most.'
Belichick also expressed appreciation for support from figures like Tom Brady and President Trump. 'It's great to hear that support from so many people and from so many different fields — not just football, but many others. And so, you know, I was very appreciative of that support and the positive comments that they made.'
