Should everything with the upcoming NFL season go according to plan, the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers will be featured on Hard Knocks. Head coach Sean McVay will likely be a major component of this year’s entertainment, with potential other stars like Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Tyler Higbee, and others.
Hard Knocks, which is produced by HBO and NFL Films, chooses one team every year that meets a specific set of criteria, and creates a documentary based on their training camp. This season, the show’s 15th, will be the first time that two teams are featured. Considering the two teams will be sharing a stadium when the 2020 season begins, it made perfect sense for this pairing.
When McVay was asked who he feels will be breakout stars on the show due to their personalities, the head coach felt his star cornerback and No. 1 tight end would fit the bill, according to Stu Jackson of TheRams.com:
“Jalen, as I’ve continued to build a relationship with him, I agree. He’s a dynamic, charismatic guy,” McVay said. “And Tyler Higbee is an under-the-radar glue for our football team, I think especially just with what he was able to do as the season finished up and having some of the success. But he’s always been a guy that has a great way about himself. Everybody loves him.”
Ramsey, who was brought to the Rams at the trade deadline last season, is one of the team’s most outspoken figures. During his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he was well known for calling people out regularly. Dynamic is the perfect word to describe Ramsey both on the field and off.
Higbee, on the other hand, isn’t quite as extroverted. However, he’s clearly made an impression on the Rams locker room during his four seasons with the team. If Higbee is as likable as McVay says, he should become a quick fan favorite the way many players have on this show.
What may overshadow these two players is the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic storylines that will undoubtedly dominate each episode. As that has been the biggest story in the world in 2020, how the Rams and Chargers are dealing with the pandemic will be extremely important.
Fans will know more when the show premiers, which is slated to happen on Aug. 11. This is all subject to change as it is unclear exactly what will happen with this pandemic between now and the end of the summer.
