Throughout its run, I’m not sure if there has ever been a team that has been enthusiastic about the ‘opportunity’ of being featured on Hard Knocks. I could be entirely wrong on that—perhaps in the early days, it was viewed as an honor—but at least exposed from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ perspective year after year, it certainly appears to be a burden more than anything else.
As has been talked about a number of times already since the season ended, however, the Steelers may not have a choice. Because they have failed to reach the postseason in two consecutive years, and because they are not making a change at head coach, they do not have the option of making themselves exempt from selection from participation in the NFL’s HBO documentary training camp series.