It’s easy to forget that Hernandez came along at a time when it wasn’t crazy to wonder if the Patriots’ glory days were over. After winning Super Bowls in the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Patriots remained dominant and became the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season. But a fourth championship eluded them. Signing Gronkowski and Hernandez came with risks (injuries to Gronk and character issues to Hernandez), but the potential quickly outweighed those concerns as the duo emerged as the league’s best young weapons. Gronk’s Hall of Fame-worthy resume — not to mention his charming frat-boy personality — overshadowed how good Hernandez was during his brief career. During his three seasons, Hernandez tallied 175 catches and 15 touchdowns. In fact, I have to admit that Hernandez was my favorite Patriot back then, even if his name wasn’t Tom Brady. That bad attitude was only surpassed by my outrage when a second-year Brady was named Bledsoe’s successor instead of veteran Damon Huard. (I’m sorry, Tom!)

For Patriots fans: American sports history Premiering at the start of what will likely be a second consecutive losing season. (We’ll always have our Week 1 upset win over the Bengals, though!) The days of Brady and Belichick feel like a lifetime ago, so you could argue that remembering the days when we competed for championships is a welcome nostalgia. But can you really look forward to seeing your favorite team get the Ryan Murphy treatment?

Well, even though Hernandez’s career with the Patriots spans more than half of the 10-episode season, for some reason only Belichick and owner Robert Kraft are used in any meaningful way. Actors are said to be playing Patriot legends like Vince Wilfork, Wes Welker and Jerod Mayo – but the credits are the only proof of this. In the wake of Cut off and its meme-worthy cast, you almost have to appreciate American sports history for not even trying to find someone to play individual players, like Randy Moss or Julian Edelman. The absence of any Patriots is odd, since Hernandez’s time at the University of Florida included Tim Tebow (played by Patrick Schwarzenegger) and Cam Newton accidentally steals a computer, leading to his dismissal from the team.

As a result of the threat of a lawsuit, Brady is only shown twice. Once we see TB12 walking by so quickly that you can’t even see him properly, and then in a conversation – which we can’t hear – with his then-wife Gisele Bündchen, who wisely Only visible from behind, because you can’t find a fake Gisele! Hernandez’s tight end colleague Gronk is briefly played by actor Laith Wallschleger, who gives an impression straight from Saturday night live! “Aaron, what’s up, bro? They call me Gronk,” he says in his only real appearance. “Have you met the coach yet? That guy is fucking scary, bro. (Insert a very unsuccessful attempt to imitate Gronk’s silly laugh.)”

Good old Gillette Stadium.

Speaking of coaches – and maybe I’m in the minority here – I loved Belichick’s performance. The performance of the two-time Tony winner and Bloodline Former coach Norbert Leo Butz arrives at an interesting time in Belichick’s career. For the first time in more than two decades, Belichick is not the Patriots’ head coach, and in the surprise of all surprises, he becomes what he has long despised: a member of the media. Early in his new career, he has shown that he actually has a personality beyond the mumbling man of few words we have come to know and love, even venturing into the social media world of InstaFace.

Perhaps the biggest lie that American sports history What Belichick tells us about him is in his first scene, when he advises Kraft on the selection of Hernandez. The Belichick I know doesn’t ask for permission, especially of force! The Patriots owner is likely responsible for the smear campaign against Belichick in the recent Apple TV+ docuseries The Dynasty. But Belichick is introduced in a great way, rocking out to Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” in his office before practice. Butz is unmatched in the role of Belichick, bringing both genuine acting chops and a twinkle in his eye. He has a blast in the unexpected musical moment with Belichick, but he also handles the moments when the famously sober coach comes down hard on Hernandez. Sometimes it’s what the troubled player needed — and sometimes it’s exactly what he didn’t. Fearing for his life, Hernandez sought out Belichick to ask for a trade, believing he needed to get out of New England and the bad influences of his native Connecticut. “You want me to trade you because you have problems in your neighborhood?” an insulted Belichick replies. “Didn’t we tell you to stay away from those people? We just spent a ton of money on you and built the whole offense around you and Gronk. The best tight ends in football, a Hall of Fame quarterback, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

Ultimately, that’s what’s troubling Patriots fans: Did the mission to win a ton of games mean ignoring legitimate concerns? Not to mention realizing how little we really know those we’re rooting for every Sunday. “Maybe he just needs to grow up a little bit,” Belichick said of Hernandez’s struggles before signing him. “I think we have the right culture for him. Lots of potential, no risk.” Later, after Hernandez was arrested, Belichick closed the chapter on his former star in a press conference: “It’s time for the New England Patriots to move on, and that means doing what we’ve always done: building a winning football team that our fans can be proud of. That and that alone is why we’re here.” He did just that, winning three more Super Bowls in the years that followed. Still, Hernandez’s stigma can never go away. Well, unless you’re the Patriots fan I met at a bar last Sunday wearing a Hernandez jersey.

And yet it could be worse – you could be Urban Meyer! According to his portrayal in American sports historythe former University of Florida coach could be the next face of Murphy’s Monster Series.