Aaron Rodgers on Hard Knocks: ‘They forced it down our throats’

For fans, Hard Knocks offers an insight into the workings of a professional NFL franchise and with the Jets confirming that 1JD productions will also have their cameras rolling, we’re set for more access than ever before.

For the Jets, it’s something they never wanted, but have to deal with.

The presumed star of this season’s show is Aaron Rodgers, and the former Green Bay Packers quarterback spoke to Talking with KPIX in Lake Tahoe at the American Century Championship golf tournament yesterday and had this to say:

“One of the only things I like about ‘Hard Knocks’ is the voice of God, who narrates it — Liev [Schreiber]. I hope I get to meet him,” Rodgers said. “Look, I understand the appeal with us. Obviously, there’s a lot eyes on me, a lot of eyes on our team, a lot of expectations for our squad.

“They forced it down our throats and we gotta deal with it.”

Comments that reflected the thoughts of head coach Robert Saleh, who insisted the Jets had no interest in having the cameras around the facility as they embark on one of the most important training camps in recent memory.

The Jets were last on the show back in 2010 with the charismatic Rex Ryan stealing the reel with his snacks!

I’m not sure we’re going to get any one-liners like that from Robert Saleh, but I’m confident we’ll be in for plenty of entertainment with the likes of Sauce Gardner, Michael Carter and Micheal Clemons, all of whom love the camera...well maybe not Clemons, but that’s what makes it funny.

With no franchises offering to be on Hard Knocks this year, it does raise a question about the future of the show. It may be that to widen the pool, the NFL will have to do away with certain regulations that restrict who can appear on the show.

If you want to be exempt from the show, you need to fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

1. Have a first-year head coach
2. Been to the playoffs in the last two years
3. Appeared on Hard Knocks within the last 10 years.

The Jets failed to tick any of those boxes, and as such were forced into the show.

If the NFL doesn’t want a repeat next year, they’d be wise to open the pool up to every team. At the very least I would certainly get rid of the playoff exemption.