Why Hard Knocks Isn’t Good For the Bengals
Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Cincinnati Bengals, along with the rest of the AFC North, were selected to appear in HBO’s Hard Knocks during the 2024 season. Many Bengals fans and even players seem excited about being selected to appear in Hard Knocks, but this team has so much to play for this upcoming season, and they don’t need this type of distraction.
Historically, Hard Knocks has just focused on one team during training camp and the preseason, but this year, they have added a show that will follow all four AFC North teams throughout the season. That means extra cameras will follow the team, adding more eyeballs and unnecessary scrutiny on this team.
Hard Knocks is perfect for an up-and-coming team or a team that has some young playmakers who are trying to get their footing in the NFL, but that’s about the opposite of what the Bengals have heading into this make-or-break season. When asked about what is intriguing about the Bengals, Keith Cossrow, NFL Films vice president and head of content, highlighted quarterback Joe Burrow.
“I think every time Joe Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are a Super Bowl contender,” Cossrow says. “Joe Burrow is an incredibly compelling figure in the NFL. You can’t take your eyes off him when he’s on the field. He’s a commanding presence. He’s got a cool about him that’s reminiscent of Joe Montana and others. He plays the game a certain way. It’s really appealing.
“And his presence I think galvanizes the Bengals’ whole organization. The Bengals have a great coach in Zac Taylor, great weapons on the outside. Terrific players on the defense. But of course, it starts with the quarterback. And if that quarterback is healthy, it’s hard to pick anyone to finish ahead of them in this division.”
Crossrow does a good job of highlighting what makes this team great for TV, but being great for TV doesn’t mean TV is great for them. Burrow is already one of the most popular players in the NFL, and it’s not all that important that this team adds extra fans for him now. What’s most important is that Burrow gets healthy from his wrist injury, and the team focuses on winning football, not looking good on Hard Knocks.
There has also been a whole lot of talk about wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Even though he has now signed his one-year contract, there will still be talk about what will happen after this season. Keeping that type of distraction inside the locker room and not out in the media is going to be key in 2024.
Taylor knows the added media could bring extra pressure and distractions and believes it’s up to the team to ensure they don’t get distracted.
“That’s on me. That’s on the leadership of the team. Everybody understanding we have a lot to play for at the end of the season and we have to remain focused on the right things,” says Taylor of potential distractions.
Taylor also made it clear that he believes the extra exposure in the AFC North is positive for the entire division.
“It’s all four teams in our division. Everyone is going to have equal footing there. We’ll make the most of it. What I do know is we have a real exciting team with a lot of really talented players. Really good team guys. Really exciting players that the league’s excited about, so this exposure is a positive.”
Taylor can be saying all the right things about getting Hard Knocks, but if the distractions surrounding the show cost this team even one win, that could be the difference between this team getting bounced early in the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. If the Bengals do end up winning the Super Bowl, the Hard Knocks will be fun to look back on for the team, and its fans, but the focus for this team has to be on getting Joe Burrow his first title, not on making a few extra fans and being good entertainment for the rest of the league. 2024 is all about raising the Lombardi Trophy, and any extra distraction should be cut out, not added to the mix.
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