HBO released their first episode of “Hard Knocks” for the season featuring the New York Jets, and it did not disappoint.

The show, which was a constant hit in its early days, has become a little bit hit-or-miss the last few seasons depending on the coach and the storylines. The Jets season has set the ground running to be one of the best in recent years.

I wanted to try something a little different while watching the first episode. I watched with a pen and paper and jotted down my thoughts as the episode progressed. I was hoping that something would stick out to me to focus an article around, and while a few things did stand out, I thought my notes were more entertaining as a whole rather than an entire piece surrounding one thought.

Top takeaways from the Jets' first episode of Hard Knocks

• Micheal Clemons is a close relative or possible clone of James Harrison. They both have the same energy, and I would not be surprised to find out they were related.

• Robert Saleh’s Eagle and crow speech was amazing. I would run through a wall for that man immediately. You could see his players respond to him. Side note: “Now what?” should be the Jets slogan this year and would look great on a shirt.

• Of course, Aaron Rodgers checks his mic is good and promises to “give good [stuff] today”. The guy enjoys the spotlight and wants to make sure he is seen in it.

• The fans chanting “Aaron Rodgers” as he stepped foot on the practice field should give any Jets fan goosebumps. That being said, what is going through Zach Wilson’s mind to see how beloved Rodgers is here simply because he isn’t Zach Wilson? Must hurt at least a little bit.

• My favorite football scene in the show was Aaron Rodgers doing quarterback drills with the other guys. He isn’t just doing the drills because he was told to do them. He isn’t just going through the motions. He is explaining in a real game situation why things need to be done a certain way. This sets a tone for the team and how they view each rep in practice and in a game.

• It's amazing to see the defense in awe of Rodgers. They know how good they are on the defensive side of the ball and now they know they offense will leave them trying to carry the team.

• Any worry about a sophomore slump for Garrett Wilson or Sauce Gardner needs to be thrown out the window. Those two guys are so competitive and have such respect for each other that they won’t allow the other to relax. Iron sharpens iron.

• Am I the only one who finds it funny how little some of these players know about the NFL in general most of the time? The fact that they couldn’t name Jason Garrett right away was funny to watch considering he coached the Dallas Cowboys for eight years.

• This team loves Aaron Rodgers. That’s it. That’s the thought.

• Liv Schreiber stole the episode. Whatever movie of his that comes out next I will go see.

• The Zach Wilson redemption story might actually be a real thing. He was both humble and likable in his screen time which I found surprising. I am an adamant “Zach Wilson is a bad QB” person, but I felt a slight shift and found myself rooting for him a little. That being said, I do not need to see him practicing no-look throws until I see him completing screen passes.

• I will take the Jets coaching staff in a Battle Royale with any coaching staff in the NFL. All of their guys are jacked.

• Finally, what I took away from this episode was this: the Jets were given a gift in Aaron Rodgers. His talent on the field is truly remarkable, but what he is trying to do is single-handedly change the culture of this team.

The strange thing is, he can actually do it. He can get the team practice a certain way if that’s how he continues to practice. He can have them believing that every game is a four-quarter fight because they are never out of a game with him at the helm. He can take reclamation project like Zach Wilson and turn his career around.

Watching Rodgers on the sidelines as invested in the backups during the Hall of Fame Game as he would be if he was on the field was special. He was seeing things and relaying them to his teammates so they could see the game through his eyes. If he can get those guys to see the game the way he does, the sky is the limit for this talented group.

Top five Jets players to watch on “Hard Knocks”

With the official announcement made that the New York Jets will be featured on Hard Knocks this training camp, the lobbying and politicking to not be on the show can stop and the fun can begin. I’ve stated before how the Jets are tailormade to be on the show given the hype surrounding the team, […]

Featured Image via Julie Vennitti Botos / Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK