Aaron Hernandez has associates engaged in "gang activity"
Sports Illustrated:
Personnel sources from multiple NFL teams tell SI that they had off-field concerns about Hernandez. In particular, the questions pertained to alleged gang activity of some of Hernandez's associates in his native Bristol, Conn. A law enforcement official familiar with Hernandez reiterated concerns about his circle of influence.
Combined, the marijuana use and gang concerns worried some NFL teams immensely.
Of course, this has never been a problem until now. The only negative thing anyone ever associated with Hernandez was his injury history.
Still, being so close to some sketchy people back in the New England area couldn't have been the best thing for him. I remember Chris Herren, the famous Mass native turned NBA player who struggled with drug addiction, attributed being traded to Boston as a huge negative. Being close to old friends was something that helped put him back on the wagon.
It seems like Hernandez might be having some similar problems with old friends causing issues for him.
Independently, both a former and current New England teammate said that they believed Hernandez was having some trouble with his past associates and was seeking distance from them. Bristol, Conn. is just a two hour drive to Hernandez's home.
"It was a thug life," is how one teammate described some of Hernandez's friends.
Hernandez's home and area are being searched by police in relation to a murder case. A deceased body was found not far from Hernandez's home.
