'American Sports Story': Why Aaron Hernandez wrote John 3:16 on his forehead before killing himself
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
The tragic story of once a great name on the football field, Aaron Hernandez (Josh Rivera) in 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez', finally concluded with equal parts heartbreaking and thought-provoking. From the outset, the sports drama offers an intimate and personal portrayal of Hernandez's turbulent life, which began in his teen years. He has a chaotic family life and, on top of that struggles with his sexuality. Things were always bad for Hernandez, but the need to appear masculine exacerbated his ailments.
After getting sentenced for the murder of Odin Lloyd (J. Alex Brinson) Hernandez's life changed drastically. He went from being a superstar to being imprisoned, and his fame was undoubtedly on the decline. The man's sexuality became a source of ridicule within the penitentiary, resulting in his death. However, there is one specific act that Hernandez performed before killing himself that has a deeper meaning and reflects his inner turmoil.
What is the meaning of John 3:16?
Hernandez was discovered dead with John 3:16 written on his forehead in red ink and a Bible in his cell open to the same verse, which reads, 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' John 3:16 is frequently recited near death as it promises eternal life via believing in Jesus, as per Crux.
In addition, John 3:16 is one of the most recited verses in the New Testament and is carved on Christian gravestones. Furthermore, it encapsulates the foundation of Christianity as a religion, which is believing in Jesus' promise of everlasting life.
Why did Aaron Hernandez write John 3:16 on his forehead in 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez'?
In the last episode, it is shown that Hernandez has turned to faith following his sentence. This is not the first time Hernandez has attempted to turn to God, as we saw in 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez' Episode 6 when his college teammate Tim Tebow (Patrick Schwarzenegger) persuades him to take the religious oath, which he takes for sometimes but quickly gets distracted.
However, when he is sentenced, he returns to the religion, which explains why he scrawled the verse on his forehead before committing himself. It is probable that in the show, after experiencing closure through hallucination with his father Dennis Hernandez (Vincent Laresca), Hernández thought he would be unable to redeem his life due to the nature of his crimes. So, in an effort to manage guilt, he ends up writing the verse on his forehead before killing himself. While this is one heartbreaking development.
How to stream 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez'?
You have several options if you want to watch 'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez' on FX. FX is available on YouTube TV for $72.99 a month, with a free trial. Hulu includes FX with any of its packages, which start at $7.99 per month. Hulu also offers a free trial to new and qualifying recurrent subscribers.
On the other side, FX may be purchased or rented via Prime Video. Although FXNOW is free, it requires a cable or satellite television subscription to utilize.
'American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez' trailer
