AHS creator's new show casts The Good Fight star

Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide.

The Good Fight star Tony Yazbeck has joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's new anthology series American Sports Story.

Inspired by podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc from the Boston Globe and Wondery, the series chronicles the rise and fall of NFL player Aaron Hernandez, played by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actor Josh Andrés Rivera.

According to Deadline, Yazbeck will appear as Urban Meyer, head coach of the University of Florida, whose desire to win football games eclipses the promises he makes to his students.

Related: American Horror Story seasons ranked, from worst to best

Written by Stu Zicherman, American Sports Story will focus on the New England Patriots tight end who was arrested and convicted for the murder of semi-prof player Odin Lloyd.

The new series from the American Horror Story prolific creator is set to explore Hernandez's identity, family, career as well as his death by suicide and his legacy in sports and American culture.

Alongside Rivera and Yazbeck, the upcoming biographical series will also star Broadway actress Lindsay Mendez as Hernandez's cousin and Patrick Schwarzenegger, who has recently appeared in Gen V and The Staircase, as Hernandez's former college teammate and fellow former NFL star Tim Tebow.

Related: AHS' Angelica Ross claims boss Ryan Murphy ghosted her about Black-lead season

Announcing two new series from Murphy earlier this month, CEO of US Channel FX John Landgraf said in a statement: "When Ryan Murphy came to us with these two spinoffs and the stories for American Sports Story and American Love Story, we immediately jumped at the opportunity."

Landgraf praised the partnership between Murphy and frequent collaborators Brad Falchuk, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, also behind American Crime Story.

"Their alchemy and the way in which they construct these stories is done with such care, such clarity and such dimensionality that creates the magnificence that is The People v. OJ Simpson, The Assassination of Gianni Versace and Impeachment. We can't wait to see what comes next."

American Horror Story airs on FX in the US and Disney+ in the UK, where seasons 1-9 are also available to buy on Prime Video.

We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.

Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

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