Tag: Hard Knocks

Report: No Hard Knocks for the Steelers this year

It sounds like Steelers won’t be part of Hard Knocks this year.

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Assuming offseason workouts and NFL training camps actually happen, the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have to contend with camera crews following them around, according to a report by ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter. According to Schefter, it will be the tandem of Los Angeles teams, the Chargers and Rams instead on HBO’s Hard Knocks.

Honestly, I’m grateful the Steelers won’t be participating in the HBO docuseries. It’s hard to imagine a Steelers team without Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell being very newsworthy. Head coach Mike Tomlin is all about that business and doesn’t get too deep into the drama now that all of the problem players on the roster are hopefully gone.

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Report: Rams and Chargers expected to be on ‘Hard Knocks’

HBO is expected to feature two teams this year on Hard Knocks for the first time ever.

This year’s edition of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” will feature something completely new: two teams instead of one. And with the Rams and Chargers moving into SoFi Stadium together, HBO is planning to feature both teams on the show.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, as long as there are training camps this summer, the Rams and Chargers are expected to be selected to be on “Hard Knocks.”

The Rams most recently appeared on the show in 2016 when they moved back to Los Angeles from St. Louis. It was Jared Goff’s rookie year, too, which made it a perfect choice for HBO. The Chargers have never appeared on the show.

According to Schefter, the announcement was supposed to be made last week during the league’s annual meeting, but it was canceled so nothing was made official – and still hasn’t been.

The biggest uncertainty is whether training camps will even take place this summer due to the coronavirus. OTAs and minicamp have already been canceled and there’s no guarantee the season will even start on time.

Neither the Rams and Chargers could be forced to be on Hard Knocks this year because they made the playoffs in 2018. So obviously they’re OK with being featured on the show, which is somewhat surprising.

Goff has talked at length about how much he disliked the cameras always being around, especially with him being a rookie.

“No, zero. Not one thing,” Goff said in 2018 of whether there was anything good about being on the show. “And we were on it from – I was drafted in April, and as soon as we landed in L.A. it was like ‘Hard Knocks’ cameras. So you go through the whole offseason with it and we went through training camp – and the people are awesome, the NFL Films people are nice. There’s a camera in every room, you’re always looking around to see if it’s on, you’re always wondering if there’s a microphone under the table, you’re always on edge.”

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Report: No ‘Hard Knocks’ for the Lions in 2020, HBO double dips in Los Angeles

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that HBO’s “Hard Knocks” will feature both the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams in their 2020 edition of the show.

For the second consecutive year, the Detroit Lions have been eligible for HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series and now, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, they have officially avoided it both times.

Schefter is reporting that this year’s version of “Hard Knocks” will feature both the Los Angeles Chargers and Rams in their 2020 edition of the show, assuming there are NFL training camps open this summer.

Not only is featuring two teams an unprecedented move for HBO, but neither the Chargers nor the Rams were among the teams eligible for the show — in addition to the Lions the other eligible teams were, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Arizona Cardinals.

In order for this to be approved, HBO, the NFL, NFL Films (who produce the show), the Chargers, and the Rams all had to sign off on the decision.

Coach Matt Patricia and the Lions were featured on several “Hard Knocks”-like videos at this year’s Senior Bowl — including being mic’d up at Senior Bowl practices, the Senior Bowl game, and Road to the Draft: Senior Bowl — and it made for some entertaining viewing. But at the end of the day, this has to make the Lions brass happy because they made it clear in the past that they didn’t want anything to do with being on the show.

Watch iconic Seahawks games for free on NFL Game Pass

The NFL opened up Game Pass for free to fans, and there are tons of great Seattle Seahawks games and content available for fans to watch.

In case you missed it, the NFL has opened Game Pass for free to fans, allowing them to watch 10 years of regular season and playoff games, as well as other football related programming like Hard Knocks and A Football Life.

For Seattle Seahawks fans, this invites an opportunity to watch tons of memorable team content, including their two most recent Super Bowl appearances as well as many other classic games and moments.

Outside of the Super Bowl win, here are 10 pieces of programming available for free that Seahawks fans should check out while self-quarantining at home during the COVID-19 outbreak.

  1. January 18, 2015: NFC Championship win over Packers
  2. January 19, 2014: NFC Championship win over 49ers (The Tip)
  3. January 8, 2011: Seahawks win over Saints (BeastQuake)
  4. A Football Life Season 5 Episode 6: Steve Largent
  5. A Football Life Season 8 Episode 8: Mike Holmgren
  6. October 29, 2017: Seahawks 41-38 win over Texans
  7. December 23, 2018: Seahawks 38-31 win over Chiefs
  8. NFL 360 Episode 201: Shaquem Griffin
  9. November 13, 2016: Seahawks 31-24 win over Patriots
  10. November 29, 2015: Seahawks 39-30 win over Steelers

Fans can enjoy all the free NFL programming they want by going to NFL.com/GamePass. Have fun and stay safe!

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NFL offers fans free access to NFL Game Pass

The NFL is offering fans access to NFL Game Pass, which gives fans access to regular season games since 2009, as well as postseason games.

The NFL is now offering fans complimentary access to NFL Game Pass, which will provide fans the opportunity to watch the extensive library of football programming available.

This will include access to full replays of regular season games from 2009-2019 and postseason games, which will be commercial free. It also includes condensed 45-minute game replays as well, and All-22 access footage for those who want to watch from a coach or scout’s perspective.

Previous seasons of Hard Knocks and A Football Life, as well as exclusive NFL Game Pass Film Sessions, will be available as well.

Additionally, NFL digital platforms will offer fans full game encores on NFL.com, the NFL app and the NFL’s official YouTube channel. These will feature signature wins from all 32 teams.

This offer will be free of charge until May 31 to fans in the United States. To sign up for their complimentary access to NFL Game Pass, fans just need to create an account on the web at NFL.com/GamePass, or via the NFL app across mobile and connected TV devices.

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If HBO comes knocking, the Steelers can’t say no

Do you want to see the Steelers on Hard Knocks this year?

Going all the way back to 2001, HBO has produced their documentary series Hard Knocks. It’s a serious behind-the-scenes look at an NFL franchise in the weeks leading up to the start of an NFL season. I haven’t watched every season but the highlights have always been entertaining. Mainly because it’s never been the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But this offseason, that could change. The Steelers are a clear frontrunner for a spot this offseason and unfortunately, if HBO and the league come calling, the Steelers can’t turn them down.

The rules of Hard Knocks eligibility are fairly simple. If you are a team with a returning head coach, a two-year absence from the playoffs and haven’t been on the show for 10 years, you are on the list. The Steelers check all the boxes and some think would be a perfect fit for the show.

But do the fans want it?

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In the last two seasons, having Pittsburgh on Hard Knocks would have been a ratings bonanza. But with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown both firmly in the rearview mirror, that level of drama is long gone. Nevertheless, the popularity of the Steelers would be a huge draw even if the overall demeanor of the team might not be as flashy as HBO would like. I can’t imagine head coach Mike Tomlin getting caught up in all the nonsense of having cameras everywhere.

Cast your vote and tell us if you think the Steelers should be on this season’s Hard Knocks.

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Cardinals, not Broncos, might be favorites for ‘Hard Knocks’ this year

Cardinals might be the most likely team to appear on HBO’s popular “Hard Knocks” series this summer.

The Broncos are among five NFL teams who are eligible to be forced to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” show in 2020. The series follows an NFL team through training camp, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at practices, workouts, preseason games and roster cuts.

Denver is an intriguing candidate for the show in large part because of second-year quarterback Drew Lock, who went 4-1 as a starter in 2019. The Cardinals might be the favorites, though.

Arizona selected Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft and he went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The Cardinals have demonstrated a willingness to work with NFL Films in the past by agreeing to be featured on Amazon’s “All or Nothing” series in 2015. Arizona had cameras follow them that season and ended the year with a 13-3 record.

Cardinals president Michael Bidwill seemed to indicate during a recent interview on Arizona Sports’ 98.7 FM that the team is open to being featured on “Hard Knocks” this summer.

“We’re always going to listen to everything,” Bidwill said, via The Republic‘s Jeremy Cluff. “We’ll see what comes up. I think we’ve done a good job of being available and volunteering to do things, like ‘All or Nothing.’ So we’ll see where we end up.”

The Broncos have been approached about potentially “volunteering” for the show in previous years and turned down the opportunity.

Last year, the NFL announced on June 12 that the Raiders would be featured on the 2019 edition of the show. The league will likely make an announcement on the 2020 team around the same time this year.

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Steelers will ‘grin and bear it,’ if chosen for 2020 season of ‘Hard Knocks’

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the five eligible teams and they have declared their approach to the show if it becomes a part of their 2020 fate.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the five eligible teams and they have declared their approach to the show if it becomes a part of their 2020 fate.

Steelers will ‘grin and bear it,’ if chosen for 2020 season of ‘Hard Knocks’ (Steelerswire)

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the five eligible teams and they have declared their approach to the show if it becomes a part of their 2020 fate.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the five eligible teams and they have declared their approach to the show if it becomes a part of their 2020 fate.

Broncos eligible to be forced to appear on ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2020

The Broncos are among five NFL teams who meet criteria to be forced to appear on ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2020.

Each offseason, NFL Films teams up with HBO Sports to follow a team through training camp, producing a show dubbed “Hard Knocks.” It’s an entertaining show for fans but super-secretive NFL teams would prefer to keep their methods and practices behind closed doors.

No teams volunteer for the show so the league made some rules that make certain teams exempt from appearing on “Hard Knocks.” Teams that have (1) a new head coach or (2) have a playoff berth within the last two years or (3) have appeared on the show within the last decade are not eligible.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio will be entering his second season in 2020, Denver hasn’t made the playoffs in five years and the team has never appeared on “Hard Knocks” before. That makes them one of five teams that are eligible to be forced to appear on the show in 2020, joining the Steelers, Lions, Jaguars and Cardinals.

Arizona and Denver are probably the two most intriquing options given their promising young QBs. The Cardinals have Kyler Murray and the Broncos have Drew Lock. Charles Curtis of USA TODAY’s For The Win ranked the five eligible teams by watchability and Denver came in at No. 1.

The Broncos have been approached about potentially “volunteering” for the show in the past and turned down the opportunity. If approached again this year, Denver won’t be allowed to say no.

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