With their 2023 playoff appearance, the Pittsburgh Steelers avoided being eligible for Hard Knocks. But they won’t fully escape the NFL Films cameras this season. According to NFL Insider Aaron Wilson, HBO and NFL Films are planning a feature series on the AFC North race for 2024.
It’s obvious why the NFL would want to pay special attention. The AFC North was the most competitive playoff race with all four teams finishing above .500, a feat that hadn’t been achieved since 1935.
The Associated Press’ Tom Withers provides a bit more detail, noting that the series will cover the final six regular-season weeks and the postseason. Pittsburgh’s quirky 2023 schedule sees the Steelers play all six AFC North games beginning in Week 12, a franchise-first. With this series announcement, it’s hard to imagine the NFL’s schedule wasn’t at least a little bit intentional towards the Steelers’ slate of AFC North games.
Per the team, the series will debut on December 3 at 9 PM/EST on HBO and Max.
The Baltimore Ravens won the division with a 13-4 record. Behind them were the runner-up Cleveland Browns at 11-6, the Pittsburgh Steelers third at 10-7 and the Cincinnati Bengals in last but above .500 at 9-8. The Ravens, Browns and Steelers made the playoffs. Cleveland and Pittsburgh were eliminated on Wild Card weekend while the Ravens were downed by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
“We thank the Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers for the opportunity to showcase some of the greatest rivalries in football and present the intensity of a playoff chase from all four corners of this incredibly competitive division,” said NFL Films VP Keith Crossrow in a Monday press release.
This year figures to be another competitive division wire-to-wire. Injuries took a toll on the division last year. The Browns and Bengals played chunks of the season without their starting quarterback, the Steelers’ defense was hammered by injuries and the Ravens lost TE Mark Andrews for the home stretch.
Pittsburgh hasn’t won the AFC North since 2020, though some analysts like their chances to wear the crown again.
It’s unclear the level of depth and detail that will be shown compared to the traditional ‘Hard Knocks’ training camp series. Pittsburgh has always been against inviting cameras in behind-the-scenes but this could be a first chance to get a true feel for what happens in the Steelers’ building during what figures to be a competitive race to finish the season.
