The Pro Football Hall of Fame runs an annual photography contest, and this picture of Aaron Hernandez scoring a touchdown for the Patriots against the Packers in 2010 was a winner. But it’s not on display at the Hall of Fame anymore.
The Hall of Fame confirmed to the Cleveland Plain Dealer that several visitors complained about the picture being on display after Hernandez was charged with murder, and so the photo is no longer up.
“In the spirit of good taste we thought we’d take it down,” said Joe Horrigan, the Hall of Fame’s vice president of communication and exhibits.
If a panel of photography experts judged the picture of Hernandez the best NFL photograph of 2010, there’s something to be said for keeping it on display as a historical document in a football museum. It’s also worth noting that the Hall of Fame hasn’t taken down other items that may generate controversy, such as O.J. Simpson’s bust.
But the Patriots and the NFL have tried hard to distance themselves from Hernandez, so it’s no surprise that the Hall of Fame would try to make him disappear.