Former Ravens GM Made Significant Impact on Hard Knocks

The Baltimore Ravens' appearance on the very first edition of "Hard Knocks" paved the way for the future of the show.

Feb 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baltimore Ravens general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

With "Hard Knocks" being as big as it is now, it may be easy to forget that the Baltimore Ravens were the subject of the show's very first season all the way back in 2001.

Fresh off their first Super Bowl championship, the Ravens were the guinea pig of sorts for the future smash hit. It eventually paved the way for the wealth of all-access content we see today, and one Ravens executive helped it grow exponentially.

While many had reservations about "Hard Knocks," longtime Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, who now the team's executive vice president of player personnel, welcomed it with open arms. He then convinced other executives around the league to give it a shot, including former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

“He made a really interesting point that convinced me,” Tannenbaum told SI's Albert Breer. “He’s like, 'When the cameras are on, the players compete more, because the eyes of the football world are on them.' I never had thought of it that way.

“After our experience, I completely agree with [Ozzie],” Tannenbaum continues. “It made practices a heck of a lot more competitive. That was a massive positive I didn’t expect. It allowed for people’s authentic personalities to come out. That team had a ton of characters on it. It was a much different experience, much more positive, than I would have expected.”

Newsome's suggestion worked out well for Tannenbaum and the Jets, as after appearing on the show in 2010, they then made their second-straight AFC Championship Game appearance that same season. That was also the last time the Jets made the playoffs.

Of course, "Hard Knocks" is an entirely different beast now compared to back then. The show followed the Ravens in 2001 and the Dallas Cowboys in 2002, but didn't return after that until 2007. Now, there are multiple editions of the show each year focused on different teams, and even an entire division now. There's also far more eyes on the teams shown in the age of social media.

The Ravens will have to deal with that added exposure this season, as they and the rest of the AFC North will be the focus on the upcoming edition of "Hard Knocks: In Season," which premieres on Dec. 3.

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