Cleveland Browns turned down Hard Knocks
By Josh Sanchez
The Cleveland Browns could be one of the more interesting teams in the NFL this season thanks to Johnny Manziel, so there were many people hoping that his rookie training camp would be documented on the popular HBO Hard Knocks series.
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Unfortunately, the Browns turned down an offer to appear on the show.
When you first hear the Browns were offered a spot on the show, you would have to believe that it was because HBO knows of the drawing power that Johnny Football brings. That is not the case, however.
According to head coach Mike Pettine, the Browns were approached with the offer before drafting the polarizing Texas A&M superstar.
The team turned down the offer because they simply want to be all about business in Pettine’s first year with the team.
“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.”
While the Browns can turn down the HBO offer because they have a first-year head coach, there are eight other teams that are not as lucky.
If HBO cannot find a willing team, they can force either the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears or New York Giants to appear on this year’s edition of the show.