No Drama During Hard Knocks 2023

Instead of being full of drama and angst, the Hard Knocks debut sent the same message Coach Robert Saleh stated in his first press conference two years ago.

“All gas, no breaks” has been the mantra, and the film within each position meeting sent that same message was sent.

Running backs coach Taylor Embree highlighted the daily competition, Linebackers Coach Mike Rutenburg focused on limiting mistakes, and Safety Coordinator Marquano Manuel preached details and "If that was your last play ever playing did you," hit your keys and give it your all.

The star of the show was the star of the team, Aaron Rodgers.

Every player on the team spoke about Rodgers, including veteran Defensive Tackle Al Woods; Woods said, “8 is cool as fuck. And it is nothing like all that stuff they say on TV.”

The most critical moment of the show was Rodgers coaching Zach Wilson. Rodgers was showing Wilson how to avoid sacks, Wilson’s “lesson of the day.”

Wilson appeared receptive, and he utilized those tips throughout training camp.

Rodgers also complimented Wilson, he said ““The best no-look pass, besides me, is Zach Wilson.”

High praise or not, Wilson must have impressed the team during the camp-wide no-look pass phenomenon.

Another star of the show was Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. Gardner graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in interdisciplinary studies, and the Hard Knocks crew filmed his graduation.

Gardner said, “I had to meet my mom halfway when I was thinking about leaving for the NFL. I told her I would do it within a year.”

The defensive rookie of the year was also shown on the field battling offensive rookie of the year Garrett Wilson.

The first word both players mentioned when discussing their on-the-field relationship was “respect.”

They battle regularly throughout practice, and based on their confessionals, they take an iron sharpens iron approach every day.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t games at practice. The Quarterback room can be seen playing the “Pylon Game” after the team’s walkthrough.

The goal is to hit the opposite pylon by throwing the football; however, the twist came from the movie “Baseketball,” each team can utilize psych outs.

One example was a psych-out from Rodgers to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, two words, “Sean Payton.”

Hackett proceeded to miss the pylon as the show transitioned rapidly to the Sean Payton comments about Hackett.

Payton said Hackett’s coaching job with the Denver Broncos “was one of the worst coaching performances he has ever seen.”

Aaron Rodgers responded to Payton’s comments about Hackett, who Rodgers called his “brother,” during an interview with NFL Network.

Rodgers said, “It is very surprising for a coach to do that to another coach. It made me feel bad that someone who has accomplished a lot in the league feels that insecure that he needs to take another man down, and I think he needs to keep my coaches’ names out of his mouth.”

Hackett himself was shown to be an energetic ball of positivity. He was constantly demanding more of his players while celebrating their victories.

Rodgers said, “At first, it seems like an act because he is always on,” however, his consistency in that approach is what the team believes makes Hackett the right fit.

Throughout the episode, love was seemingly spread from one teammate to another. From teaching to joking, the team was always high-energy in training camp.

Perhaps no more comradery was shown than during the HOF game in this season’s NFL debut.

With two Jets HOF inductees being congratulated and lots of people getting cut, the focus throughout the game was essential to see.

Chazz Surratt and Zach Wilson were highlighted throughout the first preseason game in Hard Knocks.

Surratt had four tackles and an INT, causing Saleh to jump up and down in excitement.

Wilson played minimally, throwing 3/5 for 65 yards.

Coach Saleh capped off the game and episode making one thing clear, "We are so focused on the inside" and "the noise is for everyone else."