Episode one of the “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills” debuted on Tuesday night. The HBO series focused mainly on the start of training camp with little drama on display.
Despite the lack of juicy storylines, there was still plenty to talk about following the first of five episodes of the documentary series. Here are some takeaways.
Bills players have interesting hobbies
It’s clear that the Bills don’t restrict their players from partaking in unique hobbies. Some teams have certain terminology or language in their contracts that limit players from taking part in dangerous sports and activities. That’s clearly not the case for Buffalo.
In the first episode, Bills fans saw Dion Dawkins drifting cars with his kids.
“It’s a thrill,” Dawkins said in the episode. “Almost every single day, I’ll be out there spinning tires.”
AJ Epenesa’s hobby, catching snakes, was also on display. The episode chronicled the defensive end catching an 11-foot python in the Florida Everglades along with his dog and some friends.
No James Cook drama
At a screening at the North Park Theatre in Buffalo, Hard Knocks crew members took part in a Q&A session before the show. One of the most interesting tidbits from their time on stage was stating that Tuesday night’s episode was finalized on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
That meant that the Hard Knocks crew had the opportunity to highlight James Cook’s hold in in the first episode. For whatever reason, the show opted against it.
There are still a few episodes left to highlight the storyline, but it’s also possible that Buffalo and Cook reach a resolution in his contract talks before episode two airs.
Tre’Davious White’s return in full focus
Tre’Davious White’s return to Buffalo was among the storylines in the first episode of Hard Knocks.
White was shown making multiple plays at practice, much to the delight of general manager Brandon Beane, head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. The cornerback talked about the hard work he put in this offseason to try and get back to his pre-injury form.
White’s dedication to returning to form was on display with White shown running hills on his own after practice in full gear.
Whether people watching the show were Bills fans or not, White emerged as a player to root for in episode one.
K.J. Hamler entertains
Much of episode one was focused on key players on the Bills roster, but wide receiver K.J. Hamler stole a few scenes.
In a scene showing players using scooters to get around St. John Fisher University, K.J. Hamler was highlighted and he clearly did not understand the assignment. While many others had full-sized scooters, Hamler was shown using a children’s scooter. It took some time for him to get it working, but the wide receiver was finally able to scoot his way around campus.
In addition to the scooter scene, Hamler also showed off the pregnancy pillow that he brings to training camp.
Plenty of Josh Allen
In what should come as no surprise, Josh Allen was featured early and often in the first episode. An interview with the crew, arriving to camp, a highlight package from the 2024 season and some of his big-time throws from St. John Fisher University were all on display in the debut of Hard Knocks.
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