When it was announced that the Pittsburgh Steelers, along with the rest of the AFC North, were going to be featured in HBO’s Hard Knocks, many were worried that the cameras and the attention that comes with the popular show were going to be a distraction, especially down the stretch, for all teams involved, but primarily the Steelers.
So far, at least for team captain and standout defensive lineman Cameron Heyward, that hasn’t been the case.
Heyward and his family were featured prominently in the first episode Hard Knocks as the show followed the family on Thanksgiving Day, getting an inside look at the Heyward household on the holiday.
Though he said previously he wasn’t going to watch the show, Heyward did end up watching it with his kids and stated on the latest episode of his “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” podcast that the cameras and the show itself weren’t “as invasive as” he expected.
“They try to stay outta the way, for the most part,” Heyward said of the HBO cameras, according to video via the show’s YouTube page. “But there is some stuff we’ve had to cut because I don’t know if it’s appropriate for young viewers or viewers in general, especially my foul mouth. But I had to tell my wife, I was like, ‘I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know if the kids can watch this,’ but it turned out great.
“It always works out good when you win, so I think that’s a big thing. If we can keep up this winning, Hard Knocks can stay around. But it should be interesting to hear from a bunch of other guys, too.”
The concern about the cameras and the access HBO gets with the show was real, considering they’re in the facility 24/7 and follow the players around off the field, too. Plus, there’s the in-game access from a mic’ed up standpoint. Ultimately the teams get the final say on what gets aired and what doesn’t, so it’s not a surprise some stuff ended up on the cutting room floor.
Still, the access behind the scenes with the Steelers through two episodes has been very good. It’s what fans have been clamoring for over the years in the Mike Tomlin era, and now that’s finally coming to fruition, which is leading to some great clips and soundbites.
It’s still early in the process, but it’s good to hear that — at least from Heyward’s perspective — the cameras aren’t as invasive as he was anticipating. It also certainly helps that the Steelers are winning more often than not with the cameras present. As he stated, that helps.
And while he had stated a couple of times that he wouldn’t watch the show, Heyward did, in fact, watch the show, taking advantage of the opportunity to show his kids a different look at what Dad does for a living.
“I watched it. We wanted to show the kids, and so they got a chance to see it. And it was kind of cool, my kids seeing like what I do up close and personal. And so they got to see what the game looks like from a different level,” Heyward said. “See all the communication that’s going on. See the way we prepare. It is funny, I feel like my wife has always told me, ‘You just have fun at work.’ Yeah, we have fun, but like, there’s a lot that goes into the game plan.
“There’s a lot that happens throughout the week, and you’re not seeing all of it, but you’re seeing bits and pieces. So, it’s cool to share that with a lot of different people.”
That’s the best part about Hard Knocks, getting that peek behind the curtain, seeing the day-to-day stuff that we’re now privy to. Not only that, it’s a good way to archive footage for the players and their families who will be able to go back years later and take a look at what Dad did in his career.
Hopefully Heyward and his family are featured a bit more moving forward, and hopefully the Steelers continue to stack wins while the cameras capture it all, cataloging a seemingly special season.
Check out the full episode of “Not Just Football with Cam Heyward” below.
