Former New England Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light says his former teammate Aaron Hernandez got a “massive leash” from legendary coach Bill Belichick before the troubled tight end was convicted of murder.
In a resurfaced 98.5 The Sports Hub interview with Scott Zolak and Marc “Beetle” Bertrand from earlier this year, Light addressed the longstanding rumors that he and Hernandez had run-ins in the Patriots locker room.
“Listen, we got to know each other pretty well,” Light responded when asked about a “fight” with Hernandez in the locker room.
Matt Light (left) and Aaron Hernandez (right)
AP Photo
“We did things in a very organized fashion, right? The way Bill [Belichick] ran the meetings, the way we did practices, the way we prepared for games, the way we played games. There was a way in which we went about doing things and then at certain times people come in and they don’t conform. And for whatever reason, they’re given a little bit more of a leash. I would say that it’s really safe to say that Hernandez was given a longer leash to kind of do it his way than most players,” Light remembered.
“And that was year 10 and 11 for me, so I knew what was expected,” Light continued on the podcast. “I knew how things should have gone. But here’s this young guy who’s kind of bucking the trend. So as a veteran, it was up to guys like myself to be able to say to a guy like him like, ‘Hey, man, that’s not how we do things. You know, here’s the expectation.’ And there were definitely times where that wasn’t met with a ‘Oh, hey thanks, bud. Appreciate you looking out for me.'”
Hernandez‘s story is sure to make headlines again soon upon the release of the FX biopic series American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez.
Actor Josh Rivera portrays Hernandez in the Ryan Murphy-produced series with the first episode set to air on September 17 on FX and streaming the next day on Hulu.
Belichick has remained tight-lipped over the years about working with Hernandez, even after the former NFL star was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2015 for killing Odin Lloyd and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Hernandez was also indicted for the 2012 double homicide of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado and was acquitted in 2017.
That same year, Hernandez was found dead in his cell and the death was ruled a suicide. He was diagnosed with CTE after his death. His remarkable rise and fall is the subject of many documentaries or docuseries, including Netflix‘s Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez.
Aaron Hernandez #81 of the New England Patriots smiles from the sidelines in the fourth quarter during a game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on December 10, 2012 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
In Light’s interview, he also recalled an instance where Hernandez didn’t seem to respect his veteran status.
“I was also the [NFLPA] player rep, so, you know what it’s like as a player rep, you got stuff you need to put in lockers. So I’d say, you know, to one of the rookies, ‘hey, rook, make sure this gets in everybody’s locker.’ And when I got to him and it was his turn, and I did it equally because I’m not a jerk, I’m like, ‘Hey Aaron, look, make sure this stuff gets in lockers.’ And they don’t go in lockers. So I’m like, ok. You’re obviously pissing on my shoes while you’re smiling in my face. That doesn’t go over well. You got to hold these guys accountable.”
Light continued, “I think what’s upsetting is that, you know, that we had a way of doing business, and for whatever reason, some guys were given a pass. It wasn’t very often. He was definitely one of them. And I think guys like him, if more people would have stood up and been like, ‘Hey man, that’s not how we do things,’ I don’t know, maybe that wouldn’t have changed anything in his trajectory, but maybe it would have, I don’t know.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “988” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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