The debut episode of the 2024 in-season edition of Hard Knocks doesn’t drop until Tuesday. But with Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers versus Cincinnati Bengals game holding our attention come Sunday, it’s wise to get a preview of the show ahead of kickoff.
For the first time ever, the Steelers will be Hard Knocks, offering a lens into the team never captured before. Of course, the rest of the division will join them, giving Mike Tomlin some comfort despite his (and the organization’s) discomfort for camera crews entering their building.
We’ll be here to recap what happens during every episode. Until then, here are three (of many) things we’ll be hoping to see highlighted.
1. Steelers-Ravens Behind The Scenes
We know how good the rivalry already is. But this year, we can view from an angle like never shown before. The intensity, the physicality, the bleeps to mask the swearing will be working overtime during these segments. And because this is division-on-division, the show will likely be able to dedicate plenty of time for it.
So far, we’ve already gotten one classic outcome, Pittsburgh holding on to beat Baltimore 18-16 in Week 11. I’d love to hear the perspective of both sidelines going into the Ravens’ two-point play before and after. And, of course, the Steelers’ locker room right after the win.
However the Week 15 rematch goes will also be worth watching in a game likely to have serious implications to win the division. This division was chosen under the hope and belief it’d be the closest race in football. That didn’t turn out, hello NFC North instead, making Pittsburgh and Baltimore the weightiest teams of the four.
Steelers, Ravens, Hard Knocks. That alone is worth the price of admission.
2. Mike Tomlin Behind The Veil
One of the national media’s favorite coaches, Tomlin does well to keep things in-house. Frankly, the Steelers as an organization keep their lips sealed as well as anyone. The few moments we’ve gotten to watch Tomlin behind the scenes have become immensely popular. His “reasonable expectations” speech in the summer of 2023 went viral and that was just a 101-second snippet.
Now, cameras can really capture what Tomlin is like when no one is (supposed) to be watching. Not that we’d expect him to be any different but it’ll shine a light on him that hasn’t often been seen in his 18-years coaching the Steelers.
3. A Coaching Feature (Hopefully Danny Smith)
Tomlin will get attention. We know that. As will Baltimore’s John Harbaugh, Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski, and Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor. But Hard Knocks is at its best when it can feature the lesser-known player or coach. Fingers crossed it’s Danny Smith.
He’s certainly built up plenty of lore in the city but isn’t a national household name. Still, the Hard Knocks’ crew has to be salivating over the material he offers. The veteran coach with practice’s loudest voice yelling, encouraging, swearing (sometimes all at once) during each special teams period. The coach players love, the man who chews every piece of gum in the tri-state area, whose stories sound like a mad-lib.
Similar to then Cleveland Browns offensive line coach Bob Wylie who earned cult status during 2018’s summer edition, Smith needs a solid five minutes dedicated to him. Don’t count on doing a 1v1 but he’s the one guy every other person in the building would be willing to sit down and gush about.
Let us know what you’re hoping to see from the Steelers during this year’s Hard Knocks below.
