Contract Status and Salary at the Time of Aaron Hernandez's Death
When Aaron Hernandez died in June 2017, he was a free agent under contract with the New England Patriots. His most recent deal was a five-year extension signed in 2012 that included guaranteed money and roster bonuses. The base salary for the final guaranteed year of that deal was roughly $1.25 million, with additional incentives tied to playing time and performance benchmarks. The Patriots terminated his contract immediately following his arrest in June 2013 for the first-degree murder of Odin Lloyd, which voided future base salary obligations under the standard NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement terms. Forbes breakdown of Aaron Hernandez contract terms
Under the NFL's standard contract provisions, once a player is released or terminated for cause before completing the contract, the team generally stops paying future base salary. Hernandez's contract included signing bonuses and guaranteed roster bonuses that were already paid out before his arrest. The unpaid portions of his 2013 through 2017 base salary were not owed by the Patriots after the contract termination. The league office confirmed that the Patriots were not required to continue salary payments beyond the date of termination under the standard NFL contract rules for players released for cause.
Posthumous Payments, Estate Claims, and NFL League Rules
After Aaron Hernandez's death, his family and estate pursued unpaid contract money through legal channels. The NFL Players Association and the league office reviewed the contract to determine whether any posthumous payments were due. The Patriots did not voluntarily pay any additional salary or bonuses after his death because the contract had been terminated for cause following his arrest and conviction for the Lloyd murder. Any remaining money would have been processed through the league's standard claims system rather than paid directly by the team.
The NFL's standard contract rules state that base salary obligations end when a player's contract is terminated, even if the player dies afterward. The league office and the Patriots' front office followed the standard process for contract termination and did not initiate any posthumous salary payments. The team's official statement confirmed that the contract was voided following the arrest, and no further salary or bonus payments were made by the Patriots after that date.
Legal Settlements, Insurance Payouts, and Financial Outcomes for the Hernandez Family
The Hernandez family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Patriots and the NFL, arguing that the team should have provided better support and that contract money should have been paid differently. The NFL and the Patriots settled the wrongful death lawsuit for an undisclosed amount, with the terms kept private. The settlement did not involve direct salary payments from the team's active payroll but was structured as a lump-sum payout from the team's insurance and legal reserves.
In addition to the wrongful death settlement, the Hernandez family pursued life insurance and other financial claims. The NFL's standard contract rules do not require teams to pay life insurance or posthumous salary beyond what is already guaranteed in the contract at the time of termination. The final financial outcome for the Hernandez family included the wrongful death settlement and any insurance payouts, but no additional salary from the Patriots after Aaron Hernandez's death.