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The Pittsburgh Steelers will be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” for the first time during the season. This means cameras will follow them, showing what happens behind the scenes as they compete in the AFC North. The New York Giants and Chicago Bears have already been part of the show earlier in the year.
It’s a big deal.
“Hard Knocks” will capture the final weeks of the AFC North race, featuring teams like the Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns. Last year’s playoffs saw three out of these four teams make it, with only the Bengals missing out after losing Joe Burrow to injury. It’s going to be exciting but also nerve-wracking for some.
Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward shared his thoughts on his podcast, “Not Just Football.” He said, “I hated it, I don’t wanna be on this… The locker room is the locker room, and I just don’t want that getting messed up.” Heyward worries about how inside jokes and team dynamics might look to outsiders.
Heyward laughed at first about being part of “Hard Knocks,” but there’s more to his concern. As a team leader, he knows cameras can reveal much about a team’s inner workings. There’s a fear that viewers might see dysfunction within the franchise.
Here’s a link to Heyward’s podcast episode discussing “Hard Knocks.”
If anyone wanted proof of how unbuttoned the Steelers have become, HBO will show it.
Cameras in the locker room can feel invasive, especially during a playoff race. However, it’s not new for NFL teams to be featured on “Hard Knocks.” Other AFC North teams like the Bengals, Browns, and Ravens have been on it before. This experience could be particularly challenging for the Steelers since it’s their first time.
Heyward emphasized how special and private locker room interactions are. He worries teammates might come across as jerks when they’re just joking around. While they manage to win games, this series could expose their locker room as dysfunctional.
This situation reflects directly on head coach Mike Tomlin. For years, rumors of strange happenings behind closed doors in Pittsburgh have circulated. Now there’s no hiding; everything will be laid bare for viewers to see.
Teams like Baltimore and Cincinnati seem less worried about this exposure. Surprisingly, even Cleveland might handle it better than Pittsburgh. HBO likely chose the AFC North because of its competitive nature and potential drama in Pittsburgh—a real-life Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory scenario.
Nobody ever goes in and nobody ever comes out… until now! Look at what we have stumbled upon!
