Rolling Stone article describes Hernandez as ticking time bomb

(MyFoxBoston.com) – A Rolling Stone article is suggesting former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez's first love was not football, but rather being a gangster.

The magazine, which released the article in its entirety Wednesday, alleges the scandal surrounding Hernandez may have come as a surprise to some, but was definitely not a surprise to the Patriots organization.

When Patriots owner Robert Kraft first learned of the murder allegations levied against Hernandez, he spoke publicly saying he felt he had been duped.

However, Rolling Stone calls his response "arrant nonsense."

The article suggests the Patriots knew they had a ticking time bomb on their hands, and he was one misstep away from being cut from the team.

Citing a source, Rolling Stone says Hernandez personally met with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the offseason and told Belichick people were trying to kill him.

The article also claims Hernandez was so paranoid he kept a rifle in his gym bag. He believed his gangster friends wanted him dead.

In the spring, the article says Hernandez skipped rehab sessions for his injured shoulder and blew off a camp Tom Brady was running for receivers.

Rolling Stone says Hernandez allegedly smoked pot on a regular basis, including on his way home to North Attleboro after games. The magazine also claims Hernandez used the dangerous drug "angel dust," also known as PCP. The drug is known to cause hallucinations, violent behavior, and paranoia.

Angel dust was popular in the 1970s before crack cocaine came along in the 1980s.

The Patriots drafted Hernandez in 2010. Rolling Stone says the Patriots were the only team that would take him because of his troubled past.

FOX 25 reached out to the Patriots for comment, but the organization declined to respond.

Hernandez has been charged with murder for the death of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd. Lloyd's body was discovered a short distance from Hernandez's North Attleboro home June 17.

For the full article: Rolling Stone

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