Aaron Hernandez, once a focal point of the New England Patriots offense with fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski, has been released by the team following his arrest this morning with regards to the murder of "associate" Odin Lloyd.
Lloyd's body was found near Hernandez' North Attleboro mansion after he was seen in town drinking with Hernandez and three other men. Hernandez has been investigated for a week now; his house, car and the nearby area have been combed for evidence.
Hernandez, even if he does not get charged with Lloyd's murder, is staring down the barrel of obstruction of justice charges. According to reports, Hernandez' home security system was "intentionally destroyed," he handed his cell phone over to authorities smashed into pieces, and had his house professionally cleaned while the investigation was ongoing.
The Patriots clearly felt that Hernandez' legal issues were daunting, and the distraction would become unteneable as they prepare for the upcoming season. The visage of Hernandez, clad in a white t-shirt, red basketball shorts and sneakers, cuffed, spitting into some bushes on his way to a police car certainly didn't help his case.
Hernandez is in more trouble beyond the Lloyd shooting too. He is being sued by a man named Alexander Bradley, who accuses the tight end of shooting him in the face in February, costing him the use of one eye. Hernandez' name also came up regarding a 2007 shooting when he was still at the University of Florida, along with gang connections.
When on the field, Hernandez was quite a weapon for the Pats. Last season he was limited to 10 games, but still recorded 51 receptions for 483 yards and five touchdowns. In 2011 he managed 12 games, catching 79 passes for 910 yards and seven scores.
As of now, the Patriots will probably turn to ex-New York Giant Jake Ballard as a replacement.
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