Steelers HC Mike Tomlin loves coaching the Pittsburgh.
One of the biggest takeaways from this new season of HBO’s Hard Knocks is that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is the star of the show. It might be about four different teams but Tomlin is the main character.
We hope Steelers fans who have been hyper critical of Tomlin and call for his job on a weekly basis have been able to tune in and have a different perspective on him after seeing how different he is from the other coaches in the AFC North.
In one scene on Tuesday, Tomlin was talking to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sidelines, getting a fellow Virginian hyped up for the game and made it clear he loves coaching the Steelers so much, he’d pay the team to do it.
“I’d pay them to do this,” Tomlin said. “I’d never tell them that, but we living.”
Tomlin has always had the reputation of being a player’s coach and Hard Knocks has really confirmed that. He’s in his 18th season as the Steelers head coach and last week he secured a spot in the playoffs.
HBO’s Hard Knocks reveals Russell Wilson’s heartfelt hope to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, delighting fans and viewers alike.
In what is shaping up to be an incredibly uncertain 2025 offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with several key players on both sides of the ball set to hit free agency, fans who watched the most recent episode of Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North were in for a treat.
While visiting the Boys & Girls Club, Steelers QB Russell Wilson made his desire to remain a Pittsburgh Steeler known to viewers of HBO’s Hard Knocks.
When asked whether he would re-sign with the Black and Gold, Wilson warmed the hearts of all Steelers fans: “Hopefully, I love it here.”
The new divisional rendition of HBO’s Hard Knocks series has been a true gem of entertainment for Steelers fans on Tuesday nights.
Kid to Russell Wilson on Hard Knocks during his visit to the Boys and Girls Club: “Are you gonna re-sign?”
Russ: “Hopefully, I love it here.”
One of the most exciting storylines to watch in the coming episodes is how the Pittsburgh Steelers will handle the dreaded 10-day stretch of doom, which sees the team playing three games in that span. Tune in to Steelers Wire for updates and takeaways on all Hard Knocks-related news.
Philadelphia Eagles HC Nick Sirianni sees Hard Knocks as giving his team an edge for their Week 15 matchup with the Steelers.
It appears certain fears from the Pittsburgh Steelers organization are beginning to come to fruition: their opponents are utilizing Hard Knocks against them.
While many might assume that having a behind-the-scenes look at how the Pittsburgh Steelers operate would provide an obvious advantage to opponents, who would be bold enough to declare it aloud? Well, it appears Philadelphia Eagles HC Nick Sirianni is that bold.
Speaking to reporters on Friday morning in preparation for the Steelers-Eagles Week 15 matchup, Sirianni acknowledged that the Steelers’ identity is on full display in HBO’s Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North. He stated, “I guess you get to see it a little bit—the episodes of Hard Knocks when you get to see it. It’s an advantage you get to see some of those things.”
Teams facing the Pittsburgh Steelers down the stretch in 2024 are likely eager for every new episode to drop on Tuesdays. While HC Mike Tomlin’s impressive coaching style has been admirable to watch on Hard Knocks, is exciting television ultimately setting Pittsburgh up for failure?
In week 13, the Ravens were defeated 24-19 by the Philadelphia Eagles, and the loss came in cinematic fashion. Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed a few open pass targets, and kicker Justin Tucker missed two crucial field goals.
However, Philadelphia Eagles nickel-back Cooper DeJean did not miss when he blasted running back Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter.
Football coaches are going to tell their players, “I want you to watch Cooper DeJean tackle Derrick Henry.”
Harbaugh is still always unbothered, comes up short, and gives fans the most empty rebuttals and explanations. NFL Films may have positioned themselves to make a masterpiece of the Ravens’ season, especially with the teams’ pending rematches with the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 5 and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 21.
The Ravens have lost to both the Browns and Steelers this season, but an opportunity to play them at home down the stretch might give them some momentum and favor.
Harbaugh needs to be the hero in 2024. The Steelers are pulling away with the division, and fans have rekindled angst from Harbaugh’s shortcomings in the most recent AFC Championship.
HARD KNOCKS: IN SEASON WITH THE AFC NORTH, will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season
The AFC North is the most challenging division in the NFL.
The season started with four potential 2024 playoff teams and tons of storylines. As HBO’s Hard Knocks takes an inside, in-season look at this historical division, fans will now have an up-close look at the Ravens and Steelers chase for a division title.
HARD KNOCKS: IN SEASON WITH THE AFC NORTH, will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season and a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. The 18-time Emmy®-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals, and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and an array of other AFC North star players.
Baltimore was the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series 2001. Since then, the Bengals have appeared twice, in 2009 and 2013, and the Browns in 2018, while the Pittsburgh Steelers will be making their debut appearance. Storylines to watch will include Patrick Queen’s arrival in Pittsburgh and the renewed Steelers-Ravens rivalry.
Contract disputes in Cleveland, Deshaun Watson’s return and subsequent injury, Russell Wilson’s debut, Justin Field’s arrival, and Joe Burrow’s return are just the tip of the iceberg of storylines. Intriguing subplots, including Patrick Queen in Pittsburgh, are things to watch.
HBO released the initial trailer for Hard Knocks In-Season with the AFC North featuring the Ravens, Bengals, Browns and Steelers
The AFC North is the most challenging division in the NFL. The season started with four potential 2024 playoff teams and tons of storylines. As HBO’s Hard Knocks takes an inside, in-season look at this historical division, fans will now have an up-close look.
For the first time since its debut, the award-winning docuseries goes behind the scenes of an entire NFL division for the first time. Warner Brothers Discovery made the announcement back in June.
HARD KNOCKS: IN SEASON WITH THE AFC NORTH will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. The 18-time Emmy®-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals, and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and an array of other AFC North star players.
It will debut Tuesday, December 3, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and stream on Max. Subsequent Tuesdays will air through the end of the NFL regular season and continue into the NFL playoffs in January 2025. HBO released the first trailer on Tuesday, and it looks as intense as the action presents.
For the first time ever, Hard Knocks is taking you behind-the-scenes of the playoff chase with the AFC North. The HBO Original Series #HardKnocks In Season with the #AFCNorth, featuring the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers premieres December 3 on Max. pic.twitter.com/Id3UA1Z4oY
Baltimore was the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series 2001. Since then, the Bengals have appeared twice, in 2009 and 2013, and the Browns in 2018, while the Pittsburgh Steelers will be making their debut appearance. Storylines to watch will include Patrick Queen’s arrival in Pittsburgh and the renewed Steelers-Ravens rivalry.
Contract disputes in Cleveland, Deshaun Watson’s return and subsequent injury, Russell Wilson’s debut, Justin Field’s arrival, and Joe Burrow’s return are just the tip of the iceberg of storylines and interesting subplots.
With the Ravens back on the show, some football fans have been flashing back to that inaugural season.
Monday’s news cycle brought the exciting announcement that NFL Films and HBO’s Hard Knocks series will, for the first time, chronicle an entire NFL division. The AFC North was selected, and it will be covered during the reality series “In Season” portion.
This marks the Baltimore Ravens’ first appearance on the popular program since its inception in 2001.
The Ravens were coming off the franchise’s first Super Bowl win at the time.
Once again, the Ravens are making Hard Knocks history, as they become one of four teams to be in the first divisional edition, complementing their status as the series’ inaugural team selected. According to both NFL Films and HBO, the production was “the first sports-based reality series” in television history.
For the first twenty years of the series’ history, the focus was on the training camp portion of the season only. Then, in 2021, the Indianapolis Colts became the first team to participate in the in-season edition.
This year will mark the first time Hard Knocks has an offseason edition, with the New York Giants selected as the subject matter. With the Ravens back on the show, some football fans have been flashing back to that inaugural season.
The video below features arguably the most iconic clip from that first season: Tim Anderson bringing down the house with his hilarious lampoon of Shannon Sharpe at the rookie talent show.
Watching Sharpe’s reaction, as he loses his mind with laughter, makes the bit much funnier. In the same episode, Todd Heap did a spot-on impersonation of coach Brian Billick, which was pretty hilarious as well.
If you want to watch the first full episode of the entire series, it is embedded here below:
Fans wanted to see the Bears on Hard Knocks this summer, and they still might.
The New York Giants will be featured on an upcoming season of HBO’s Hard Knocks, it was announced Wednesday, leaving fans less than enthused about the prospects of watching a team void of much excitement.
As a Giants fan myself, even I can admit to hardly caring to see Big Blue featured in the overly-edited BTS show. It’s just not a fun time to care about the Giants.
However, one fanbase in particular really thought this was a missed opportunity for HBO, and it was that of the Chicago Bears. With so many moving parts on a promising young roster featuring No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams, NFL fans thought Chicago was an obvious choice for Hard Knocks.
I can't see many watching this. Where is the intrigue? Daniel Jones vs. Drew Lock? The Bears would have been must see tv. https://t.co/U8AlQtj5Mn
But everybody can calm down. The Bears may still end up on Hard Knocks this summer.
The Giants are being featured on a new version of the show that focuses specifically on the offseason, from January to July. Titled Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants, this iteration will give fans a behind the scenes look at things like the scouting combine, free agency and the draft.
As for the team to be featured on the traditional training camp version of Hard Knocks, that’s still to be determined.
Having a playoff appearance in the last two years was removed as something that can disqualify teams from appearing on the show, so the pool of potential teams is likely bigger than usual. But it still includes the Bears (for now), as they don’t yet meet any of the other disqualifying criteria, which includes:
Team has a first-year head coach
Team is participating in the in-season version of Hard Knocks this year or next year
Team appeared on Hard Knocks in the past eight years
The new offseason Hard Knocks featuring the Giants debuts July 2.
HBO, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, and the New York Giants are set to release Hard Knocks: Offseason with the Giants.
HBO is headed to North Jersey to follow the Giants around, and we’re hoping the footage starts before Saquon Barkley heads down the New Jersey Turnpike for Philadelphia.
HBO, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, and the New York Giants are joining forces for “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants,” a brand-new iteration of the groundbreaking franchise that will document the NFL offseason for the first time.
“Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” will bring viewers inside the New York Giants organization as the team prepares for their highly anticipated 100th season. Camera crews will chronicle the team’s every move as general manager Joe Schoen and other members of the team’s front office and staff navigate the critical offseason period from January to July 2024, from the NFL Scouting Combine to free agency, to the NFL Draft and team minicamps.
“We are incredibly proud that ‘Hard Knocks’ is widely thought of as one of the most successful and entertaining unscripted sports franchises ever produced,” said Ross Ketover, senior executive, NFL Films. “To be able to expand on the ‘Hard Knocks’ universe, and with an elite franchise in the Giants while they celebrate their 100th season, is a privilege for all of us at NFL Films.”
The Giants did some good things this offseason, including drafting Malik Nabers. Still, all Philadelphia fans want to see is the reaction to Saquon Barkley exiting for a three-year deal with Philadelphia.
The five-part original series premieres Tuesday, July 2, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will debut on subsequent Tuesdays through July 30.
Here’s what we saw in the seventh episode of “Hard Knocks.”
The Miami Dolphins finished the 2023 calendar year with a loss on Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens to fall to 11-5 through the first 17 weeks of the season.
And, now, they have even more attention on them, as they’re the focus of this year’s edition of the in-season version of “Hard Knocks” on HBO and Max.
The seventh episode of the season aired on Tuesday night with more to follow weekly.
Here are some of the best moments from episode No. 7 (some are NSFW):
