'Hard Knocks' Makes More Sense Staying Home Than With Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- HBO and NFL Films have decided that they're going to stay in Los Angeles this offseason and have two teams - the Rams and the Chargers - co-host 'Hard Knocks' in 2020.
The decision certainly left questions for many fans. First, with the opportunity to have a team like the Steelers, how do you pass that up?
Pittsburgh is coming off back-to-back missed postseasons, have a returning Ben Roethlisberger, one of the best defenses in the NFL and plenty of stardom with guys like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Minkah Fitzpatrick, James Conner and many more. Oh, and they have a backup quarterback competition that'll likely include a guy named Duck.
Everything pointed to extra cameras in Pittsburgh during training camp, but the decision shouldn't leave you scratching your head as long as it has.
Right now, the NFL season is very uncertain. Like the rest of professional sports, the league is waiting on COVID-19 to work its way out of the country as much as possible before they send players and facility workers back to work for training.
Therefore, there's no knowing if or when training camp is going to happen. If the summer is reduced and teams only have half of the training camp schedule they were supposed to, NFL Films can find more success filming two teams than focusing on one.
Travel also becomes a factor. Being based in Los Angeles, NFL Films remains closer to studio with more ability to work closer to their home. This leaves more options on the table when it comes to breaking down and evaluating their own film and also doesn't cost as much to send a crew across the country for a time period we don't know yet.
They're playing a guessing game like the rest of us and when it comes to making a decision to get the most content - not the best - staying put was the best option.
They may have lost their chance at the Steelers for awhile but all signs point to this being a good move. Head coach Mike Tomlin probably isn't too upset with it, as he joked it off when asked at the end of the 2019 season. Meaning NFL Films gets their best shot at hosting a show and the Steelers get to avoid the cameras.
A win-win for both sides this summer.
Who do you think the star of 'Hard Knocks' would've been if it came to Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments below.
