New England Patriots dispute claims in Rolling Stone’s Aaron Hernandez story

Rolling Stone‘s report on Aaron Hernandez was harshly critical of the Patriots, pointing the finger at New England ownership and management for allowing Hernandez’ fall from grace to unfold in front of their very eyes.

Well the Patriots are snapping back at the Rolling Stone feature, saying that they got the facts wrong

Patriots President Jonathan Kraft went on the offensive in an interview with 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, saying that the Rolling Stone report had multiple factual errors. ProFootballTalk Reports

The Patriots are denying the Rolling Stone claim that Hernandez had told Patriots coach Bill Belichick that he feared for his life because of contacts with unsavory characters, and that Belichick “told him to lay low, rent a safe house for a while,” was strongly disputed by Kraft, who says that he spoke to Belichick about it. Kraft confirmed that Belichick denied that a conversation of that nature ever happened.

“Bill told me, ‘Absolutely not. Aaron never told me his life was in danger,’” Kraft said, via Greg A. Bedard of TheMMQB.com.

Kraft also said Belichick did not threaten to cut Hernandez, and that Belichick was not the person who hired the Patriots’ security chief, who also comes in for criticism in the Rolling Stone piece.

“The stuff I know about the article is just completely factually inaccurate,” Kraft said.

Belichick, normally reluctant to talk about distactions with the media until necessary, has not spoken publicly about the Rolling Stone report. He will meet the media late Thursday night, after the Patriots’ preseason finale where it is likely at least one reporter will be brave enough to question Belichick on the RS claims.