Hard Knocks is a reality sports documentary television series produced by NFL Films and HBO.[1] First broadcast in 2001, the show typically follows a National Football League (NFL) team through its training camp and covers the team's preparation for the upcoming football season. Beginning in 2021, the show has also dedicated an additional season of television to following an additional team throughout the NFL regular season. Followed by an additional season to following another team through the NFL offseason starting in 2024.
The series depicts the personal and professional lives of players, coaches, and staff, including their family life, position battles, and even inside jokes and pranks. It particularly focuses on rookies' adjustments to playing in the NFL, usually with emphasis on the team's most recent top draft pick. It usually also chooses to focus on undrafted and journeyman players who are attempting to make the team.
The NFL and HBO have called Hard Knocks "the first sports-based reality series" in television history.[2][3] The 20th season featured the New York Jets in their second appearance on the show, as well as the Miami Dolphins. In 2024, the series expanded to cover a team in the off-season (New York Giants), during training camp (Chicago Bears), and will feature an entire division during the regular season (AFC North).
Despite the difficulty each year in finding a team willing to participate, NFL Films announced on July 18, 2013, that it had signed a "multiyear" contract extension with HBO to continue producing the show.[7]
In October 2013 the NFL announced that, in the absence of a team volunteering to participate in Hard Knocks, the league could force a team to participate. Teams are exempt from being forced to participate in three circumstances: (1) they have appeared in the past ten years, (2) they have a first-year head coach, or (3) they reached the playoffs in either of the two preceding seasons.[8] The first two teams to appear after such ruling announced were the Falcons and the Texans, appearing on the series in 2014 and 2015 respectively, after both teams declined to appear in 2013. In the Texans case, their appearance in 2015 was eligible for a "forced" appearance, as they had missed the playoffs the previous two years and were entering the second season of then-head coach Bill O'Brien.
In September 2021, NFL Network announced that the Indianapolis Colts would become the subject of the first ever in-season edition of the series. The series premiered in November 2021 and would have carried on through the 2021–22 NFL playoffs, however, the Colts did not qualify.[9]
In May 2024, the NFL announced that the New York Giants would become the subject of the first-ever offseason edition of the series. The series will premiere in July 2024 and will feature the organization's 100th season and highlight their moves from January to July of the offseason.[10]
The series returned on August 8, 2007, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and their preparations for the 2007 season.[11] It is the only season of the series not narrated by Liev Schreiber. Instead, actor and Chiefs fan Paul Rudd was the narrator.[12]
Some of the issues covered in the 2007 Chiefs season include:
The battle for the starting quarterback job between veteran Damon Huard and second-year player Brodie Croyle following the trade of Trent Green.
The Cincinnati Bengals season premiered on August 12, 2009.[13] Its ratings were higher than any previous season of Hard Knocks,[14] and it won two Sports Emmy Awards: one for Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology, and one for Outstanding Post Produced Audio / Sound.[15]
Some of the issues covered in the 2009 Bengals season include:
The New York Jets were chronicled in the series' sixth season. An official announcement was made on March 25, 2010,[18] and HBO began airing it on August 11, 2010. It won the series' second consecutive Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology.[19] The Jets declined another opportunity to appear in the series in 2011.[20]
Some of the issues covered in the 2010 Jets season include:
The vocal coaching style of head coachRex Ryan, highlighted by several sound bites that became popular after the season, such as "That's being a jackass!" and "Let's go eat a goddamn snack!"[17][21]
Hard Knocks: A Decade of NFL Training Camps (2011)
At the end of July 2011, NFL Films announced it would not be producing Hard Knocks for the 2011 season.[24] No team wanted to commit to the series due to uncertainty with the NFL's labor situation. A retrospective on the series titled Hard Knocks: A Decade of NFL Training Camps was made featuring clips from every episode made to that point, and including comments looking back on the series from Brian Billick, Shannon Sharpe, Mike Westhoff, and others.
The health issues of David Garrard, especially after undergoing knee surgery during training camp.[27] He was released from the team the same day this season's final episode aired.[28]
The difficulty of Les Brown in adjusting from former college basketball player to NFL tight end, and his subsequent release from the team.
The meeting in which Philbin informs Chad Johnson (formerly Chad Ochocinco) of his release from the team following his arrest for allegedly headbutting his wife of 41 days.[17][29][30]
The Cincinnati Bengals were featured in the 2013 season, which was the team's second appearance on the show. The first episode of the season premiered on August 6, 2013.[33]
Some of the issues covered in the 2013 Bengals season include:
Rookie defensive tackle Larry Black's season-ending injury
Linebacker James Harrison's dislike of the camera crew at training camp
On June 11, 2019, it was announced the Oakland Raiders would be the team featured for the 2019 season premiering on August 6, 2019.[40]
Some of the issues covered in the 2019 Raiders season include:
With the construction of Allegiant Stadium and in a usable state by 2020, this will be the 25th and final season in the team's second tenure in Oakland.
Antonio Brown's recovery from frostbitten feet and his arbitration with the NFL regarding a grievance with the league's new helmet rules.[41]
On April 7, 2020, it was announced that the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers had volunteered to be featured for the 2020 season.[42] It marked the first time two teams were featured, with both teams set to play their inaugural seasons at the new SoFi Stadium. Before the Rams and Chargers volunteered, the Pittsburgh Steelers were heavy favorites to appear due to the team's national appeal and rare position to be "forced" onto the series;[43][44][45] the Steelers themselves have long opposed being featured.[46]
On June 18, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 season would premiere on August 11, 2020.[47] The format of the episodes was set to be different, on account of the NFL's cancellation of preseason games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The selection of the team to be featured on the 20th season of Hard Knocks was hampered by various teams' unwillingness to make an appearance. NFL rules stipulate that the league cannot force a team to be on the show if they have appeared in the past ten years, they have a first-year head coach, or they reached the playoffs in either of the two preceding seasons.[8][54] Prior to the 2023 season, only four teams (the Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, and New Orleans Saints) met none of those qualifications.[54]
With no team volunteering to appear on the show, the NFL was in a position to determine which of the four eligible teams would be featured, regardless of whether or not the team itself was willing. Numerous players and coaches from the eligible teams expressed displeasure at the possibility of being chosen. Jets coach Robert Saleh stated, "I know there are several teams that would love Hard Knocks to be in their building. We're just not one of them."[54] Saints coach Dennis Allen referred to the show creating "distractions" and said that he "wouldn't like it" if his team were featured, while Bears chairman George McCaskey said that he would be glad to see any team on the show except the Bears.[54]
The Jets' offseason was notable for the addition of four-time NFL Most Valuable PlayerAaron Rodgers, who had months earlier requested a trade to New York from his former team, the Green Bay Packers. On July 12, ESPN reported that the NFL had selected the Jets as the show's next featured team.[55][56] Rodgers later stated that "I understand the appeal with us. Obviously, there’s a of lot eyes on me, a lot of eyes on our team, a lot of expectations for our squad, so, they forced it down our throats, and we gotta deal with it."[57] ESPN's Adam Schefter subsequently reported that the Jets would deny HBO access to film some parts of training camp. One particular aspect cited was the team meeting with players to inform them that they had been cut from the roster, an element that had been featured in prior seasons of the show.[58]
On May 30, 2024, it was announced that the Chicago Bears would be the team featured for the 2024 season premiering on August 6, 2024.[63]
Similar productions
Inside Training Camp: Jaguars Summer
In 2004, NFL Films produced a training camp documentary series, similar to Hard Knocks, that featured the Jacksonville Jaguars. Called Inside Training Camp: Jaguars Summer,[64] it aired on the NFL Network and was narrated by frequent NFL Films narrator Robb Webb.[65]
Some of the issues covered in this 2004 series include:
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