Report: Aaron Hernandez Was Asked to Leave Patriots Facility on Thursday
By Josh Hill
Aaron Hernandez is quickly watching his life crumble in turmoil. He’s involved in a homicide investigation which has cast serious doubt on not only his future in the NFL but his future as a free man. On Friday morning it was erroneously reported that an arrest warrant had been issued for Hernandez and while that turned out to be a premature report, the New England Patriots aren’t looking for more reasons to bar Hernandez from practice — they already have enough evidence to do that.
According to the Boston Herald, Hernandez was not allowed to practice with Patriots when he showed up to Gillette Stadium on Thursday and while he was allowed to enter the building, he was promptly told to leave.
"Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, whose sprawling North Attleboro home is part of a homicide probe, was booted from Gillette Stadium yesterday when he showed up for a workout as cops continued to hunt for clues in the death of a Dorchester man, according to a source close to the team."
Aside from the obvious legal ramifications of Hernandez’s name being attached to this murder investigation, there’s the question of what the NFL will do about what is going on. Hernandez’s alleged obstruction of justice charge may be enough for the NFL to discipline him as it is, but no word has been given yet on what Roger Goodell plans on doing here.
The Patriots though have never been a franchise that has attracted this kind of attention and it’s very clear they want nothing to do with it. Bare in mind that the Patriots barring Hernandez from practice is not the team assuming guilt. Rather, a player involved in a murder investigation is not something they want to be attached to and they’re within their rights to not allow him to be around the team if they don’t want him to be.