WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for episode 9 of American Sports Story.
The penultimate episode of FX’s American Sports History: Aaron Hernandez It depicts Aaron Hernadnez’s ex-fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, sitting with Hernandez’s mother during his murder trial for the sake of his own flesh and blood. American sports history episode 9 “What’s Left Behind” puts Hernandez’s ex-fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins, in the spotlight as she chooses to defend Hernandez through his arrest and conviction for murder. The contents of the box that Hernandez asked Shayanna to discard remain a mystery both on the show and in reality.
Since the first two episodes of American sports historyAaron Hernandez’s life and NFL career were headed toward a tragic and frightening end point that resulted in former New England Patriot and star tight end receiving life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Since emerging as an offensive weapon on Urban Meyer’s legendary but controversial Florida Gators team and receiving the coveted John Mackey Award, Hernandez began his life sentence on April 15, 2015, just months after the Patriots won their fourth Franchise Super Bowl.
Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez sat with Aaron’s family in court in real life
Shayanna’s sister Shaena saw this as a blatant betrayal
As pictured in American sports history Episode 9, Shayanna chose to sit next to Hernandez in the courtroom during his murder trial instead of standing next to the prosecution with her sister, Shaena. This fact is true to real life and not just something the show made up for dramatic purposes. Shayanna chose to support Hernadnez in his legal issues to keep the family unit intact with their daughter, Aiveee, at the center. Shaena, who was dating Lloyd when Hernandez killed him, considered it a blatant betrayal.
The real-life Shayanna Jenkins testified that she and her sister Shaena did not speak during Hernandez’s murder trial. This is a direct result of Shayanna’s decision to support Hernandez through his arrest, conviction, and even his death by suicide in 2017. American sports history episode 9 recreates the true scenario in which Shayanna and Hernandez’s mother, Terri, sobbed together in court following Hernandez’s guilty verdict. On the other side of the court were Shaena and Lloyd’s mother, Ursula Ward.
The reason Shayanna sat courtside with Aaron Hernandez
She was one of his few “ride or die” supporters
American sports history episode 9 depicts Shayanna being loyal to Hernandez until the end. Despite the show suggesting that Hernandez was upset with Shayanna for testifying against Hernandez in exchange for immunity regarding the removal of the suspicious box, there is no record of Hernandez blaming his then-fiancee for his circumstances. Shayanna had to make an incredibly difficult decision between her family and chosen family because of Hernandez’s violent criminal acts. Ultimately, just like her cousin Tanya Singleton, who was almost sent to prison for refusing to testify, she did not want to abandon her child’s father in American sports history.