Browns Turned Down An Offer To Appear On Hard Knocks

Browns HC Mike Pettine told reporters this past weekend that they have rejected an offer to appear on HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer.

“It was for the same reason we didn’t feel super comfortable having a camera in the draft room,” Pettine said, per Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Let’s get through the first time, let’s get through the first year.”

This decision was apparently made before the draft, as Pettine was asked if he expected HBO to make them another offer at some point.

“There are positives and negatives to doing it,” Pettine said. “It’s not something I would say we’d never do, partly because the league can make us do it.”

“I wasn’t directly contacted by them, but they might have,” Pettine said.

Other teams such as the Giants and Rams have taken their name out of the running for the show given that there are reportedly teams who have already volunteered.

The NFL now has the ability to choose a team to appear on the show if they meet a certain criteria which includes: no playoff appearance in the last two years, do not have a new head coach, and haven’t appeared on the show in 10 years.

After factoring in these three factors, the Bears, Giants, Bills, Cardinals, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams and Steelers are the teams that can be forced to participate in Hard Knocks this year.

However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently told reporters a few months ago on that “several” teams were interested in being featured on the show this year.

“There were a lot of discussions with clubs at the March meeting [in Orlando, Fla.],” said Goodell, via Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“There are several clubs that are interested in doing this. I just don’t have an update on which club, whether it’s going to be a volunteer or if it’s somebody who is going to have to fulfill the obligation. But I’m sure that decision will be made pretty soon.”

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that four teams are currently being considered as of now, but he doesn’t say who they are.

We’ll have more regarding who could be featured on this year’s show as the news is available.