Bill Belichick Breaks His Silence On The “Darker Side” Of Aaron Hernandez

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick has never been one to speak out about Aaron Hernandez.

Belichick primarily addressed the Aaron Hernandez situation in July 2013 after Hernandez was arrested for murder. Belichick said it was a “sad day on so many levels” and that he was “personally disappointed and hurt.”

He made it clear that the organization did not condone unacceptable behavior and stressed that Hernandez’s actions did not represent the New England Patriots. His press conference back then would be the only time he would bring it up.

That was until this week.

Bill Belichick Noticed Changes in Aaron Hernandez

During an interview with Hang Out with Sean Hannity, Belichick opened up like never before. He admittedly knew Aaron Hernandez was ‘different’ when the two worked together with the New England Patriots. However, he was unaware of the tight end’s ‘darker side’ until after the tragic events of 2013 and 2015.

‘Aaron was very smart,’ Belichick said of his former tight end. ‘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 added.

‘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,’ Bill Belichick agreed.

Hernandez was drafted in 2010 in the fourth round by the New England Patriots, with whom he played for three seasons before things went terribly wrong. Back in 2013, Aaron Hernandez said he wanted to be a role model to the Hispanic community.

Weeks later, he would be arrested for murder. He would be convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Hernandez would be tried for a double murder, get acquitted of it, and ultimately take his own life.

Bill Belichick has since lost his job with the Patriots and has gone on to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels.