The New York Jets knew what the risk was to their preseason when they traded for Aaron Rodgers this April.
Rodgers would bring extra publicity to the largest media market in the US. The Jets are now being forced into participating in a preseason activity they publicly said they didn’t want to do.
According to Adam Schefter with ESPN, the Jets will be the main feature on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
Mike Florio with NBC Sports had dropped a major clue the Jets would be the hosts this summer. He reported a couple of weeks ago the Jets were preparing to be filmed by Hard Knocks.
The Jets, Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New Orleans Saints were all teams that could not refuse to be on this show this season.
Because of the Rodgers trade, most NFL fans and HBO producers hoped to have the Jets on the show.
According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said the team didn’t want to participate.
“I know there are several teams that would love for ‘Hard Knocks’ to be in their building. We’re just not one of them,” Saleh said.
They have no choice now. But they do have Rodgers, a media and limelight-addicted quarterback.
And the cameras and interviews will be a distraction for a team with many new players brought in for a high-risk venture to win a Super Bowl. Will it be worth it?