Whenever it’s announced who the next NFL team to be featured on Hard Knocks will be, it is almost invariably followed by someone associated with that team publicly acknowledging that they hate the idea and wish it wasn’t happening.
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward is the latest to do so, saying that he “hated” the news that his team had been selected as part of an in-season version of Hard Knocks that will follow all four teams in the AFC North.
“I hated it. I don’t want to be on this,” Heyward said on the Not Just Football podcast when asked what his initial reaction was to the news.
The highly decorated NFL star is concerned about the way the show might impact the Steelers’ locker room dynamics, citing that sometimes the show highlights conversations and jokes that lack necessary context.
“The locker room is the locker room, and I just don’t want that getting messed up. There’s so many inside jokes, so many people,” Heyward said. “There’s so many people, like, you would assume everybody’s a jerk if you heard everything. But it comes from a loving place, and it comes from a caring place. We all want to be better, and we joke a lot. We poke and prod at each other, but it doesn’t always come off that way. And so, that’s the only thing I really worry about.”
The 35-year-old and six-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of a four-year deal with Pittsburgh. That could be a running discussion point on the show as well.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.