Rolling Stone Author: Aaron Hernandez Will Be Back In The NFL In 3-4 Years
BOSTON (CBS) - If Aaron Hernandez beats the first-degree murder charges he is currently facing, or receives a short sentence for gun charges, multiple NFL teams will be ready to offer him a contract, according to the author of the recent Rolling Stone article on the former Patriots' tight end.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mary Blake's Interview with Paul Solotarof
Rolling Stone Author: Aaron Hernandez Will Be Back In The NFL In 3-4 Years
Rolling Stone contributing editor Paul Solotarof, co-author of "The Gangster In The Huddle," joined CBS Sports Radio's The Doug Gottlieb Show on Wednesday, and said he wouldn't be surprised if Hernandez beats the first-degree murder charges he currently faces in the shooting death of Odin Lloyd.
"I think [the case] is not only beatable, [but] I think he will be back in the NFL within three or four years," Solotaroff said."I think they've grossly overcharged him based on the case they're building -- no direct eye witness, no murder weapon [and] no plausible motive."
"His principle nemesis at this point is likely to be the five gun charges levied against him; I think they got him dead to right on most of those," said Solotaroff. "But as crazy as it sounds, this is a guy with no priors. So asking a judge to sentence Hernandez to consecutive prison bids -- rather than contemporary ones -- is going to be a very hard sell for the prosecution."
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And, Solotarof claims, if Hernandez beats the charges, or only serves a few years in prison, NFL teams will come knocking.
"If, in fact, he winds up doing three years behind [bars for] those gun charges -- which would be a lot in this case -- he's 26, 27, with very low mileage on those legs of his and a lot of time to heal up. My sources tell me there will be more than one NFL team pursuing him hotly when he walks out of jail in four years," said Solotaroff.
Hernandez signed a five-year, $40 million contract extension with the Patriots in 2012, but was released by the team hours after his June 26 arrest.
