WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for American Sports Story.
The new FX seriesAmerican Sports Storydepicts the alleged relationship between Aaron Hernandez and his high school football teammate Dennis Sansoucie. Sansoucie is portrayed by Kalama Epstein as part of the ensemblecast ofAmerican Sports Storyled by Josh Rivera as Hernandez.American Sports Storyepisodes 1 & 2andAmerican Sports Storyepisode 3loosely chronicle a real-life secret relationship between Hernandez and Sansoucie that originated while they wereboth members of the Bristol Central High School varsity football team in Bristol, Connecticut during the 2000s. Sansoucie opened up about his relationship with Hernandez inNetflix’sKiller Insidedocuseries.
The first season ofAmerican Sports Storycovers the tumultuous journey of Aaron Hernandez, a former collegiate and NFL superstar tight end who was convicted ofmurdering semi-pro football player Odin Lloydin 2015. A winner of thedistinguished John Mackey Award,Hernandez went from playing in Super Bowl XLVI for the New England Patriots in February 2012to getting arrested on first-degree murder charges in June 2013.American Sports Storyoffers a mostly accurate examination of the events and themes of Hernandez’s startling true story, including his complicated family life,advanced stage CTE diagnosis, and internal conflicts with his sexual identity and gayness.
Dennis Sansoucie Was Allegedly Aaron Hernandez’s Secret High School Boyfriend
Sansoucie played quarterback and linebacker for Bristol Central High School in 2004 and 2005
Kalama Epstein’s portrayal of Dennis Sansoucie inAmerican Sports Storyclearly establishes a hidden romance between the former best friends and teammates. Sansocuie was once the quarterback of the Bristol Central High School team, while Hernandez was the standout tight end, creating a lasting and meaningful bond that went further than their connection on the gridiron. Sansoucie and Hernandez were both seniors at Bristol Central High School in 2007. However, as depicted inAmerican Sports Storyepisode 1, Florida assistant coach Steve Addazio and head coach Urban Meyer urged Hernandez to graduate high school earlyto play for the University of Florida Gators.
Urban Meyer’s Panic Attacks In American Sports Story & What He’s Said
American Sports Story episode 3 portrays Urban Meyer’s real-life health scare after the 2009 SEC Championship Game which nearly caused him to resign.
While the real-life Urban Meyer denied claims that he encouraged Hernandez personally to graduate high school early, that is exactly what Hernandez ended up doing, enrolling at the University of Florida in 2007. Sansoucie played quarterback and linebacker for Bristol Central High School in 2004 and 2005 before switching to running back for the 2006-2007 season. Like most of his teammates,Sansoucie did not garner the attention of big-name Division 1 football programssuch as the University of Florida like Hernandez did. Hernandez had initially committed to join his brother D.J. Hernandez at the University of Connecticut before switching to Florida.
Dennis Sansoucie Did Play Football & Join The Marines After High School
American Sports Story depicts Sansocuie telling Hernandez about his decision
As depicted inAmerican Sports Story, Dennis Sansoucie’s character tells Rivera’s Aaron Hernandez that he’s enlisted in the Marines as Hernandez heads off to Gainesville, Florida. This is in fact what happened in real life, as Sansoucie left his football-playing days behind him to pursue a military life and career. It’s unclear just how close the former teammates and alleged lovers were as Hernandez gained a national spotlight, winning the 2008 NCS National Championship alongside Tim Tebow and a legendary Florida Gators team before being drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.The series implies they stayed in touch throughout Hernandez’s college years.
Every NFL Player & Coach In American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez
American Sports Story portrays many real-life players, coaches, and other college & NFL personnel involved in Aaron Hernandez’s life and career.
One true story aspect thatAmerican Sports Storydoesn’t necessarily touch on is how close the Sansoucie and Hernandez families were as Aaron and Dennis grew up together. While Dennis and Aaron played high school football together, they started their friendship and camaraderie in middle school, which is also when Sansoucie claims that their romantic and physical exploration first began. This suggests thatHernandez and Sansoucie were in an unofficial relationship throughout their middle and high school years, a claim that Sansoucie upholds in Netflix’sKiller Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandezdocuseries.
Did Dennis Sansoucie Get Married After Ending Aaron Hernandez Relationship?
There’s no record of his real-life engagement as portrayed in American Sports Story
There’s no public record of the real-life Dennis Sansoucie getting married or being engaged as portrayed inAmerican Sports Story. Sansoucie also did not mention his marital or relationship status in Netflix’sKiller Insidedocumentary, making the circumstances around his relationship history uncertain.Sansoucie also did not openly state his specific sexual orientation in the docuseriesbut did consider his experience with Hernandez to be an “on-and-off relationship” from 7th grade throughout their junior year in high school. In the context ofAmerican Sports Story, Aaron reunites with Dennies after he goes home during the Thanksgiving break of his 2009 football season at the University of Florida.
American Sports Story: What Tom Brady Has Said About Aaron Hernandez
7-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady played with the subject of American Sports Story Aaron Hernandez between 2010-2012 on the New England Patriots.
Aaron returns home after he won a national championship and was announced as one of the top contenders for the John Mackey Award, making him much more of a notable figure in not just his hometown of Bristol, Connecticut, but across the entire country. Dennis shows up at a pickup football game on their high school field and the two are ecstatic to see each other. They embrace, pour some shots, and smoke weed in Aaron’s car, laughing and reminiscing before Aaron makes a move. Dennis says he can’t go any further becausehe’s engaged to a college-aged woman who is enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve.
Dennis Sansoucie Discussed His Relationship With Aaron Hernandez In A Documentary
Sancoucie did not
News that Hernandez was rumored to have a sexual partner while he was in prison first broke in 2017.
Sansoucie also claimed inNetflix’s Killer Insidethat Hernandez was not ashamed of his sexual identity and was in fact very proud. “He just couldn’t say anything at the time,” explains Sansoucie. Sansocuie remained silent on the matter during Hernandez’s NFL career and two murder trials andwaited until after Hernandez died by suicide in 2017 to break the news to the public. Sancoucie looked back on his relationship with Hernandez and his own repressed sexual identity, saying “I was in such denial because I was an athlete.” Hernandez’s hidden relationship with Sansoucie is a major event in bothKiller InsideandAmerican Sports Story.
American Sports Story Aaron Hernandez Soundtrack Guide: Every Song And When They Play
FX’s new series American Sports Story features a robust and relevant soundtrack full of 2000s hip-hop classics and collegiate fight songs.
American Sports Story
Cast
American Sports Story is a TV show from Stu Zicherman and executive produced by Ryan Murphy. The series stars Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow. The sports anthology series serves as the fourth installment in Murphy’s “American Story” franchise.
