Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Zay Jones is doing well for himself these days in Jacksonville. Coveted as one of the organization’s premier offseason acquisitions, Jones has become one of quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s go-to options in 2022. While speaking with the media recently, he brought up a couple of tidbits that were interesting.
First off, anytime we hear Jon Gruden’s name, as avid Raiders fans, we tend to at least give the news a gander. Though it’s been a year since he stepped down from head coaching duties for the Raiders amid an email scandal, he’s still relevant. If you recall, Jones was acquired by the Raiders after their appearance on “Hard Knocks” a few years ago. The show has become a regular event in the offseason as a new NFL season gets going annually.
The Jaguars’ wide receiver briefly reminisced about how that transpired as his current team gets set to take on this year’s participants on Hard Knocks.
“It’s just interesting. It just gives players the opportunity to show themselves and express themselves. I remember when I was with the Bills and the Raiders were on Hard Knocks. I [then] ended up getting traded to the Raiders. And then I was like, ‘Oh wow, this is kind of funny,’ because I had the opportunity to watch, you know, Coach [Jon] Gruden and those guys from afar. So, I think it’s just the same. When approaching this game, I don’t think Hard Knocks really matters at this point. But it should be fun to go up there and play against a great opponent.”
Is Hard Knocks still relevant?
Whether the HBO production has any actual bearing on a team each season is debatable. The Raiders’ season following their display didn’t fare well, if you recall. In all likelihood, Jones probably meant that that show isn’t relevant at the moment. Though this is despite recent efforts by HBO to have an in-season edition, it was a notable moment. Traditionally, a struggling team from the previous season gets featured on the show the following year. For the sake of the Raiders, hopefully no appearances are on the horizon.
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