Jeff Diamond previously served as general manager of the Minnesota Vikings and team president of the Tennessee Titans.
Diamond is thankful that he never had to deal with anything like the “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” program, which will premiere this summer.
“It’s just obtrusive into what you’re trying to do, and you’re having conversations about trades, about strategy in terms of free agent signings, in terms of [the] draft, and that stuff is pretty privileged information that I certainly wouldn’t want to be on camera talking about,” Diamond explained during a recent edition of the “Valentine’s Views” podcast, according to Ed Valentine of Big Blue View.
Last summer, quarterback Aaron Rodgers admitted that the New York Jets had a “Hard Knocks” assignment rammed “down our throats” as the team prepared for the 2023 regular season. In late June, Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic reported that Giants co-owner John Mara had a “distaste for the program” but had changed his mind about the franchise’s engagement owing to “the celebration of the team’s centennial season” this year.
Earlier this week, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, a New York sports radio icon and current ESPN contributor, attacked the Giants for having at least some editorial control over the final cut of episodes. According to Diamond, having “Hard Knocks” crews in the building does not make things easier for coaches, front-office executives, or players.
“It’s just kind of absurd and I know that they can somewhat control that, but even still, for the coaching staff and their meetings for the players, I think it’s difficult,” Diamond goaded. “I understand this is show business. It’s entertainment. It’s part of the equation when discussing a multibillion-dollar organization like the NFL, but I’m grateful I never had to deal with it.”
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, participating in this “Hard Knocks” project “seems to be more trouble than it’s worth” for the Giants because it will likely shine a light on important conversations Mara, general manager Joe Schoen, and head coach Brian Daboll would otherwise keep private. The NFL appears to have made it obvious that “Hard Knocks” isn’t going away, so executives throughout the league should recognize it’s a matter of when, not if, they’ll have to tolerate being a part of the season.
