Tim Tebow and Aaron Hernandez played college football together for three years at Florida, where he tried to steer the tight end away from the troubled path he appeared headed down, Radar Online reports.
Tebow, then coming off a BCS National Championship win, played a part in convincing Hernandez to play college ball at Florida. Although Hernandez had committed to the University of Connecticut, where his older brother quarterbacked, a Tebow-hosted visit to the Gator campus prior to the 2007 season swayed the Connecticut native to Gainesville.
Despite Tebow being instrumental in Hernandez's recruitment, the two never bonded off the field.
"...They weren't close at Florida," a person familiar with the program told Radar. "Tim obviously became the team's leader but he came from a different world than Aaron.
"They didn't hang out off the field. Sure, Tim tried to encourage him to live a good life, a religious life, just like he does with so many people.
"But after playing a huge role in convincing Aaron to come to Florida, Tebow lost any influence he had over Aaron, who quickly got into trouble."
Trouble included Hernandez habitually smoking marijuana at Florida and failing multiple drug tests, according to Radar. One failed drug test resulted in a single-game suspension.
In another incident, police questioned Hernandez in the shooting of two men at a night club - he was never charged.
His off-the-field troubles stemmed from the unexpected death of his father in 2006. Hernandez admitted his drug use began after his father, Dennis, passed away following complications from hernia surgery, according to the Boston Globe.
Behavioral issues made NFL teams wary of drafting the talented tight end, who fell to the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. An NFL scout conveyed his concerns to the Globe about Hernandez growing up around "street activity," as well as "the people he hung out with."
"Personally, I've always had concerns," Doug Pina, his high school coach, said at the time, according to Radar. "He's still finding himself. With the right people around him ... he'll do very well."
Tebow's leadership in the Gator locker room wasn't enough to deter Hernandez from trouble. The two reunited in June when the Patriots unexpectedly signed Tebow. The reunion was short lived - New England cut Hernandez shortly after his arrest on Wednesday.
Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder and five gun-related offenses. He's being held without bail and faces life in prison, if convicted.
In a strange twist, Tebow could begin lining up at tight end as Hernandez's replacement.
