Miami Dolphins star cornerback Xavien Howard didn’t mince his words when expressing his displeasure with the team’s selection for the upcoming ‘Hard Knocks’ documentary during the regular season.
The popular HBO docuseries is set to film the Dolphins during the regular season, starting with their NFL Week 9 game against the Kansas City Chiefs on November 5. The news of the Dolphins’ inclusion in the in-season documentary was confirmed last week, although the exact release date is yet to be determined.
In the preseason, the New York Jets were featured in ‘Hard Knocks,’ focusing on the arrival of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The upcoming installment of the series will provide an inside look at Mike McDaniel’s team starting this Sunday.
However, the decision to have ‘Hard Knocks’ cameras in the locker room did not sit well with some members of the Dolphins roster. Xavien Howard, a cornerback for Miami, openly expressed his frustration with the announcement.
“‘Hard Knocks’ is tough, especially during the season,” Howard stated, as reported by The Palm Beach Post. “No, I’m serious. I’m not a fan.”
Howard further elaborated, saying, “I feel like being around cameras and stuff like that — I feel like we’ve got to do better. We’ve got to beat teams with good records. So I feel like before we get all the little fame that’s coming right now, I feel like we’ve got to put in work.”
When asked about the news that the Dolphins would be featured in HBO’s in-season docuseries, Miami’s head coach, Mike McDaniel, acknowledged he understood the decision made by NFL Films and HBO and highlighted the potential benefits for the team.
“I wouldn’t call it a team decision; I steer clear of worrying about things that we can’t control,” McDaniel commented on October 23, according to ESPN. “I see some positives with this particular team, just knowing that there’s a lot of things that, in terms of when we do have success on the field, people are curious as to how that happens.
“I think they’ll see exactly where that comes from. I don’t think it’s a bad thing for people to see our day-in, day-out hard work. I know there’s some guys on this team that garner interest, and I think that a platform for them to showcase who they are, and really the fan base to get to know the players and coaches better.
“I can understand the value to the National Football League, to HBO, to NFL Films, and I can understand the value for the Miami Dolphins. It’s something that I think this particular team is equipped to handle, just because of the way they go about their day-to-day jobs.”
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