The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the hit HBO show Hard Knocks this season, despite years of avoiding it. The show, created in 2001, now has new iterations other than the original preseason show, including the in-season version that the AFC North is currently featured in and an offseason version. Altogether, there have been 24 seasons of the show, featuring all the other teams from the AFC North, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals, except the Steelers.
When it was announced that the Steelers would participate, many wondered how considering the rules had allowed them to decline. Local insiders have said for years that Head Coach Mike Tomlin was uninterested and would only participate if forced. However, the show brings revenue to the team, putting money in the owner's pockets.
Keith Cossrow, the Vice President of NFL Films, recently spoke with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show. She asked who the "lucky" person was who had to break the news to Tomlin that the Steelers were participating.
"That would be Burt Lauten at the Steelers," said Cossrow with a laugh. "You know it was an ownership-level vote. Last year, at the owner's meetings, they had to vote to change the Hard Knocks resolution. It's everybody's favorite parlor game, "Who's gonna be on the OG summer Hard Knocks," and there are the rules. We changed those rules a little bit last year, and the owners voted on this change to the in-season show. It was passed overwhelmingly, 29-3, I think."
The rules for Hard Knocks have always allowed teams to exclude themselves if they met certain conditions: made the playoffs in the past two seasons, been on the show in the last 10 years, and have a coach that has been with the team for at least one year. The new rules retained the coaching tenure regulation, but teams can only decline if they're participating in the in-season show in the next two seasons or have been on in the past eight years.
This new loophole allowed the Steelers to be pushed into the mix with their division rivals. Despite not wanting to participate, Tomlin has stolen the show. Cossrow applauded the way he has been handling it.
"The Steelers were a yes," added Cossrow. "I think Coach Tomlin probably wasn't thrilled with the assignment at first, but since it's landed on his desk, he's been incredible. His attitude about it is reflected on the show, I think. The way he leads, the way he speaks, the tone he sets in that building. I think you're seeing it on the show. It's one of the reasons the show is so special right now. I think he's just done an amazing job of handling this part of the business."
Tomlin has always been one of the most respected coaches in the league. It is not unusual to hear players want to come to Pittsburgh to play for him. There is even talk that players who aren't as familiar with Tomlin will be won over by what they see, and the show will benefit the Steelers in free agency.
Like all coaches, Tomlin has his critics. Some believe the Steelers need a change. However, the players are always quick to come to his defense. They applaud and appreciate the culture he built in Pittsburgh, which shines through on Hard Knocks.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Won Over The Enemy
It isn't just Steelers players that respect Tomlin; opponents even make those comments. Recently, Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Darius Slay told the media how much he admires Tomlin. He said if he weren't playing for Nick Sirianni, Tomlin would be the coach he'd most like to play for.
This isn't an uncommon theme. When the Steelers signed Patrick Queen, a former Raven, he said he was excited to play for Tomlin. DeShon Elliott told the media that he knew he was a perfect fit for the Steelers and the culture Tomlin has built.
