When the New York Giants and New England Patriots faced off in Super Bowl XLVI at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium two years ago, receiver Victor Cruz and tight end Aaron Hernandez reminded us why they were considered rising stars in the NFL at the time.

Cruz's celebratory salsa dancing in the end zone following touchdowns had the country channeling its inner Roberto Roena during the 2011-12 season, and the product of Paterson, N.J., got to show his moves once again before 111.3 million domestic viewers, Nielsen estimated, after catching a 2-yard TD pass from quarterback Eli Manning in the first quarter. With the extra point, Big Blue had taken a 9-0 lead.

But the Patriots overcame that deficit by halftime, scoring 10 unanswered points in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Hernandez, of Bristol, Conn., added a 12-yard TD reception from QB Tom Brady that increased New England's advantage to 16-9 (before the extra point).

Unfortunately for the Pats, Cruz's pals on defense kept them off of the scoreboard from that point on, and the Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLVI 21-17. While one team had to lose that night, both the Giants and Patriots could look forward to the benefits of having a young, immensely talented player -- with a Hispanophone surname on the back of their jersey, no less -- in their organization. After all, the half Puerto Rican, half African-American Cruz, then 25, had just set a single-season franchise record for receiving yards (1,536); Hernandez, a Puerto Rican/Italian-American who was only 22 when he played in that Super Bowl, was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl after reaching career highs in receptions (79), receiving yards (910) and TD catches (7) that season.

Both franchises committed financially, with Hernandez securing a five-year, $40 million ($16 million guaranteed) contract extension from the Patriots in August of 2012, and Cruz inking a six-year deal to remain with the Giants worth $46 million ($15.6 million guaranteed) last July. Cruz, overlooked in the 2010 NFL Draft but immediately picked up by the Giants, has proven that he's no one-hit-wonder, having averaged 1,045 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches a season since getting his Super Bowl ring.

However, Hernandez, New England's fourth-round selection in 2010, no longer makes headlines for reasons related to football. Because on Jun. 26, 2013 -- or about two weeks before Cruz re-signed with the Giants last summer -- the former Patriot was arrested at his North Attleborough, Mass., home and charged with, among other things, the murder of 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd and possessing a firearm without a license. His perp walk was captured by news cameras for all to see, and it swiftly spawned the Internet meme "Hernandezing." Hernandez, released by the Patriots within hours of his arrest, was subsequently held without bail and indicted on the first-degree murder charge on Aug. 22. He has also been linked to a 2012 double-homicide in Boston.

At his Sept. 6 arraignment, Hernandez pleaded not guilty to the murder of Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée Shayanna Jenkins, at the time of his death. Recent reports say Hernandez and Jenkins used coded language to discuss the various charges that the ex-NFL player is facing during recorded phone conversations.

As a Nuyorican, I was excited going into Super Bowl XLVI not merely due to the Giants being in it, but because it featured two Latinos, two half-Boricuas, who'd played a huge role in getting their team there. I've asked myself, as I'm sure many of you familiar with this story have, countless times -- under the assumption, of course, that everything Hernandez has been accused of will hold up in a trial -- how someone who has so much going for him, like he once did, could so brutally throw it all away, and at the cost of someone's life, at that. Who knows, perhaps it's three lives.

From scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl, to becoming first-time dads upon the births of their daughters in 2012, Victor Cruz and Aaron Hernandez do indeed share some things in common. Both seemed destined to spearhead the NFL's effort to market itself to Latin Americans domestically and abroad. That's only half-true now.

What a difference two years make, right?