New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke for the first time publicly about the arrest and release of tight end Aaron Hernandez and said to the Boston Globe on Monday that he felt duped by the former star and one reason may have been a letter written to the team's personnel executive Nick Caserio before the draft.
According to the Boston Globe, Hernandez, likely along with his agents at Athletes First, wrote a letter on behalf of the tight end to the team that admitted past mistakes and transgressions and said that he would be willing to take tests if the team drafted him. The letter was signed Aaron Hernandez and he said that he would go through a bi-weekly drug test during his rookie season in 2010 if the team took a chance on him.
Hernandez and his representatives heard about what was being said about the tight end while he was in college and while many saw talent in the star, they knew he had character issues from when he smoked marijuana while at the University of Florida. Hernandez admitted that the letter and the request about the drug tests was "unorthodox", he offered because he was serious about his career and being a successful NFL player.
Clearly looking back Hernandez did not fully clean himself up from the behavior he had in college, as he now is in jail for the murder of Odin Lloyd and he also has been associated with a number of other incidents. He was reportedly violent with his fiance over the past year and could be connected to a double murder in Boston from last year. Hernandez has also been tied to a shooting in college as well as one to an associated named Alexander Bradley and he previously was in a fight with a bouncer in college that Tim Tebow tried to mediate.
Hernandez was considered to be on the top tight ends in the league and was one of the most versatile players at his position, lining up at running back and wide receiver last season. He made 175 catches for the team and scored 18 touchdowns and now his past with the Florida Gators has been heavily scrutinized. Hernandez was arrested two weeks ago after the body of Lloyd was found less than a mile from his home and charged with first degree murder. Hernandez was also denied bail twice in the case after the judge deemed him the orchestrator of the murder.
"No one in our organization was aware of any of these kind of connections. If it's true, I'm just shocked," Kraft said on Monday, via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. "Our whole organization has been duped."
HERE is the full letter:
Dear Mr. Caserio,
I am writing in regards to some of the feedback I am receiving from my agents, Florida coaches, and other personnel. These sources have indicated that NFL teams have questions about my alleged use of marijuana. I personally answered these questions during the pre-draft process, but understand that NFL teams want to conduct thorough due diligence before making the significant financial investment inherent in a high draft pick. I have no issue with these questions being asked, but thought that it made the most sense to communicate with you directly regarding this issue so you would not have to rely upon second-hand information.
Any information I volunteer to you about my past will be looked at with great skepticism as I am trying to get drafted as high as possible by an NFL team. As such, I thought that the best way to answer your questions and your concerns was to make a very simple proposition. If you draft me as a member of the New England Patriots, I will willfully submit to a bi-weekly drug test throughout my rookie season (8 drug tests during the 2010 regular season). In addition, I will tie any guaranteed portion of my 2010 compensation to these drug tests and reimburse the team a pro-rata amount for any failed drug test. My agents have explained that a direct forfeiture provision in my contract along these lines would violate the CBA rules. However, I have instructed them to be creative in finding a contract structure that would work on in the worst case scenario, I would donate the pro-rata portion of any guaranteed money to the team's choice of charities. My point is simple-if I fail a drug test, I do not deserve that portion of the money.
I realize that this offer is somewhat unorthodox, but it is also the only way I could think of to let you know how serious I am about reaching my potential in the NFL. My coaches have told you that nobody on our Florida team worked harder than me in terms of workouts, practices or games. You have your own evaluation as to the type of impact I can have on your offense. The only X-factor, according to the reports I have heard, is concerns about my use of recreational drugs. To address that concern, I am literally putting my money where my mouth is and taking the financial risk away from the team and putting it directly on my back where it belongs.
In closing, I ask you to trust me when I say you have absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to me and the use of recreational drugs. I have set very high goals for myself in the NFL and am focused 100% on achieving those goals. So, test me all you want during my rookie year ... all of the results will be negative while I am having an overwhelmingly positive impact on the field.
Good luck with your preparations for the NFL Draft and feel free to contact me or my agency (Athletes First/David Dunn) with any questions.
Sincerely,
Aaron Hernandez
University of Florida
