Pittsburgh Steelers are the favorites to be highlighted on ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2020

The Pittsburgh Steelers like to keep things in-house. They have are very strict with what news does, and does not, get released to the public, and because of this you can only imagine the headaches the Public Relations team would have if the Steelers would ever be on HBO’s Hard Knocks series leading up during training camp.

Well, if you are on the Steelers’ PR staff, you might want to look away because the Steelers are looking like favorites to host the show this summer.

You might be wondering why the Steelers haven’t been featured before. After all, they are a global brand with one of the largest, if not the largest, fan bases in the entire NFL. The show would certainly grab a ton of ratings. Well, this is the first year they have qualified for the show. Take a look at the exceptions and why teams like the New England Patriots have been eligible for the show:

3 Exemptions:

1) They have a first-year head coach.

2) They have a playoff berth in the past two seasons.

3) They have appeared on “Hard Knocks” in the past 10 years.

The Steelers being on a two year drought, having the same coach since 2007 and never being on the show before puts them in them on the list to be on HBO every week showing the camp life for the black-and-gold.

Recently, Dan Hanzus of NFL.com ranked the Top 5 teams who are likely to be hosting HBO this summer, and you’ll never guess who was atop the list...

5. Detroit Lions
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Arizona Cardinals
2. Denver Broncos
1. Pittsburgh Steelers

Here is what Hanzus had to say about the Steelers, and why he sees them as the perfect fit for the reality TV show:

“They’re the heavy Vegas favorite for a reason. The Steelers are NFL blue blood royalty and come fully loaded with one of the most passionate fan bases in the sport. Let’s face it: Franchises of the Steelers’ quality don’t show up very often on Hard Knocks. If you apply the current inclusion rules to the entire run of the show (which dates back to 2001), Pittsburgh would have been an option for mandatory inclusion just once before 2020. So NFL Films and HBO have a window here, and it might not stay open long. Throw in Ben Roethlisberger’s return from a major elbow injury, engrossing human interest stories around guys like Ryan Shazier and James Conner, and the completely inevitable Wiz Khalifa camp visit, and Pittsburgh is a slam dunk No. 1 choice.”

Fans might not like the thought of the distraction of having the cameras everywhere, but the truth is you have to also be a little excited for the inside look at the team who is always behind closed doors.

Personally, I would love to watch, and hear, what is said during specific moments of camp. Meet some of the players and get to know them better. Will it be a distraction? I wouldn’t think any more of a distraction than life at Saint Vincent College already is with the requirements and fans in attendance to watch their favorite team.

What do you think? Would you love to see the Steelers on Hard Knocks? Or do you hate the idea? Let us know in the comment section below!