Malcolm Rodriguez and Family Get the Hard Knocks Star Treatment

It was more of the middle of what has become the weekly segemnt on Hard Knocks: Training Camp wih the Detroit Lions.

“The rookie linebacker nicknamed Rodrigo may not know all the steps yet, but the sixth-round pick is looking like a steal in Pittsburgh,” dead panned the narrator. 

That line came after his parents, who had earlier been part of a segment in the Lions road hotel, The Hyiatt, in Pittsburgh, were shown in the stands of Acrisure Stadium talking about dancing. Malcolm’s mother answered the challenge of her younger son, Gabriel.

“I know how to salsa,” said Shana Rodriguez with her hsband Romea wearing a Lions No. 44 jersey and Gabriel on the other side of his mother. 

In other words, by bringing in the family now Malcolm Rodriguez was getting the identical treatment of the Lions first-round draft pick by the producers of the show. Aidan Hitchinson’s family made a big appearance in week one. Now here come the Rodriguez’ and better a little late than never. 

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After the final preseason game Rodriguez with Jaylen Warren and Mason Rudolph of the Steelers. 

There was a montage of Rodriguez hits including his stuff tackle on the punt in the second quarter of the game. It was an excellent open field tackle. Then after having a conversation in the hotel with his family about playing against Najee Harris of the Steelers, Rodriguez fits his run gap perfect and pops Harris out of the hole and forces him down the line of scrimmage where two teammates pin him for a loss.

“He loses yards back to the 21. Malcolm Rodriguez one of the Lions that forces him down the line of scrimmage,” described Lions radio play-by-play voice Dan Miller. 

“This is exactly why I f***ing choose you, helluva job, said defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. “You understand me?”

Rodriguez responds back as they are looking at the play on the microsoft pad, “I got to make that.”

“You got to make that, but you put your ass on it and you helped make it,” Glenn said. “You understand me, you just do that.”

Shortly after that exchange the head coach Dan Campbell had a closing line for the segment.

“Good shit, Gentlemen I believe we have a defense,” said Campbell.