Before the Bills kick off the season against the Ravens on Sunday Night Football this weekend, the final episode of their first appearance on Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills aired Tuesday. The season finale capped off training camp and the storylines surrounding several players on the roster bubble before taking a look at the goal for the season ahead—winning their first Lombardi trophy.
Here are the top three moments and takeaways from the Hard Knocks season finale.
NFL Dreams Take Shape in Different Forms
While the majority of young football players might dream of becoming All-Pros, Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions, that is unfortunately not the reality for many pursuing an NFL career. Though most players do not become stars, several do find smaller ways to fulfill their goals and dreams.
Linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo was among the standouts throughout Hard Knocks this season. After joining Buffalo midway through training camp, Ciarlo made an impression during the preseason, and notably received praise from coach Sean McDermott. He was cut, but signed to the practice squad, which he later got tell his dad, Jim, during Tuesday's episode.
"I think it's a great start," Jimmy told his dad ater making the practice squad. "Come a long way from a month ago."
"Everybody back home is so proud," Jim said to his son. "People just going crazy, it's awesome."
Bills LB Jimmy Ciarlo's call with his dad after making the practice squad 🥹
— NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2025
Final episode of #HardKnocks: Training Camp with the @BuffaloBills airs tonight at 9pm ET on @hbomax pic.twitter.com/DSSV0StGdr
For defensive tackle Casey Rogers, the opportunity to play for his hometown team—even if just in the preseason—was a dream come true. Rogers did not make the team, but left a good impression on general manager Brandon Beane, and more importantly, achieved a dream of his own.
"This camp, it was just special," Rogers said. "Just to be a part of a team like the Bills, the historic program they are. Just excited and blessed to have the opportunity to play for them. It was like a big homecoming for me, an opportunity that seemed like a dream. To play for the Bills and be from New York, if I would be able to go back 10 years ago and tell myself I was gonna run out of the tunnel someday, whether it was for a preseason game or for whatever game, I wouldn't have believed it.
"It was a lifelong dream of mine to play for the Bills and I was able to do that."
Josh Allen Is a Proud Husband
During an interview with Kyle Brandt that was shown during the episode, Brandt asked movie buff and quarterback Josh Allen for his review of the movie Sinners, which Allen's wife, Hailee Steinfeld, starred in.
Allen couldn't hold back his pride in Steinfeld, telling Brandt, "My wife absolutely kills it, and hopefully with award season coming around, people make the right decision."
Brandt then remarked that as he left the movie, he couldn't help but think that Allen, the reigning MVP, might not even be the most talented person in his marriage. Allen seemed to agree. He nearly began tearing up adding, "When we watched it at the premiere I was crying at the end. I was so proud of her. I get emotional thinking about it."
It's Super Bowl or Bust
It's no surprise, the Bills have their eyes on the ultimate prize—winning the Super Bowl. While Hard Knocks has traditionally followed a rebuilding team, this year the series took a look at a team that has been in contention for the last five years, and is trying to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 90s.
The narration leaned into that theme throughout the episode, and even showed flashbacks to Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy saying, "Where else would you rather be than right here? Right now!" to the Bills' great teams of the 90s.
That goal doesn't stop the Bills from having some lighthearted fun, like a silly "all hail Josh" salute or Dion Dawkins showing off his headstand skills, but it underlines the team's purpose.
Center Connor McGovern didn't hesitate to call bringing home the Lombardi his goal. As for Allen, he won't get too ahead of himself, but he's already envisioned the celebration that will come to Buffalo if the Bills do win that elusive Super Bowl title.
“I can see the parade. I can feel it," Allen said. "Five degrees, brisk, rolling down, hearing the bus roll over the salt and ice. Thousands and thousands of fans filling up downtown Buffalo. I can see where we’re going up on the steps at city hall. I see it all. We've gotta turn it into reality.”
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Takeaways From 'Hard Knocks' Finale: Josh Allen Leading Bills' Super Bowl Charge.
