It's all Rodgers all the time in debut of `Hard Knocks'
The Jets, particularly Aaron Rodgers, couldn't have constructed a more positive, upbeat, debut of “Hard Knocks” if the quarterback produced and directed the HBO/ NFL Films show himself.
From the opening video of Joe Namath's celebratory exit from the Orange Bowl after beating the Colts in Super Bowl III, juxtaposed with the current Jets quarterback taking the long slow walk to the Florham Park field serenaded by a standing ovation and fans chanting his name, the “HK” debut was all Rodgers — and his aura — all the time.
The NFL Films crew did manage to “squeeze” in a number of cameos featuring some of the coordinators, video of Garrett Wilson filming a doughnut commercial and going one-on-one with Ahmad (Sauce) Gardner, and defensive lineman discussing if they would see a Broadway show together.
Nonetheless the “HK” debut might as well have been a singular tribute to Rodgers.
Jets brass couldn't have hoped for a more positive take on the squad HBO Sports labelled the NFL's “most compelling team.” After five minutes, it was hard to imagine why the organization — and Rodgers — were initially reluctant to participate in what turned into a training camp coronation show.
Not only does everyone come off looking swell, but the good vibrations Rodgers spreads around camp fills the motivational bucket he was predicted to schlep from Wisconsin to New Jersey. The team is in awe of the former Packer, especially during a montage of his no-look passes on the practice field. Even the defense, burnt by Rodgers' passing, seemed happy to do their “punishment” pushups.
While Robert Saleh is wide-eyed and gaga over Rodgers, the coach is more philosophic while talking to the entire team in an oncampus auditorium.
“Did you know that the only bird in the world that will attack an eagle is a crow? It's a crow,” Saleh told the players. “,,, There will be a whole lot of crows expecting us to fall on our face.”
One of the more cantankerous “crows” is Broncos coach Sean Payton who ripped the former Denver coach, now Jets offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, calling his short-lived tenure as a head coach “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.” On “HK,” that controversy was reported, including Rodgers, Hackett and Saleh's response.
Yet the “HK” crew didn't touch one of the more anticipated stories going into training camp — the future of offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. The big man, who has missed all but one game in the last two years because of knee injuries pulled himself out of the Hall of Fame game with Cleveland after limited action. “HK” offered no follow-up.
Nor did it report, or expand on, the story of Rodgers restructuring his contract and taking a massive pay cut. Still, “HK” history shows the program is more about telling stories than breaking news.
So, there were scenes with Rodgers mentoring last season's starting QB Zach Wilson. And Rodgers explaining how he floats from group to group to meet his teammates.
There were other highlights. Here are a few.
Rekindling memories of the 2019 edition, when wideout Antonio Brown arrived at Raiders training camp in a hot air balloon, actor Liev Schreiber, the voice of “HK,” landed at Jets camp in a helicopter.
Meeting Schreiber seemed to be a priority for Rodgers. The actor went into self-deprecating mode telling the QB his real claim to fame was “ripping off John Facenda,” the late great voice of NFL Films.
Now, it was Rodgers who was in awe, as he urged the other quarterbacks to meet and greet Schreiber. “It's him, the voice of God! You guys didn't say hi? Go say hi.” Rodgers gushes. “It's the voice of God.”
Schreiber asked Rodgers about his reluctance to have the Jets star in “HK?” “I think people worried about it being a distraction,” Rodgers told Schreiber. “There's a lot of misnomers about it.”