Hard Knocks (documentary Series)
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''Hard Knocks'' is a
reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...
sports documentary television series produced by NFL Films and
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
. First broadcast in 2001, the show typically follows a
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(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 Players may refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''Players'' (1979 film), a film starring Ali MacGraw * ''Players'' (2012 film), a Bollywood film * ''Players'' (Dicks novel), a novel by Terrance Dicks, based on the television series ''Doc ...
, coaches, and staff, including their family life, position battles, and even inside jokes and pranks. It particularly focuses on
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
s' 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 In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
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. The 20th season featured the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
in their second appearance on the show, as well as the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. In 2024, the series expanded to cover a team in the off-season (
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
), during training camp (
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
), and will feature an entire division during the regular season (
AFC North The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was adopted after the restructuring of the 2002 NFL s ...
).


Production

The series was created by
Marty Callner Marty Callner (born 1950 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American television director, who has made music videos, comedy specials, concert specials, and television shows, in a career spanning from 1977 to present day. He is the creator of HBO's '' Ha ...
in 2001. It has been narrated by
Liev Schreiber Isaac Liev Schreiber (; born October 4, 1967) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and narrator. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s after appearing in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywoo ...
since its inception, with the only exception being the 2007 season, which was narrated by
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
, a fan of the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
, who appeared on the show that year. The
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
,
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
,
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
,
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
, and
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
each declined to be the show's featured team for the 2013 season, while the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
accepted, marking their second appearance on the show. NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell Roger Stokoe Goodell (born February 19, 1959) is an American businessman who is currently the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL). On August 8, 2006, Goodell was chosen to succeed retiring commissioner Paul Tagliabue. He was chosen ...
subsequently said that he wanted more teams to be featured on the series, on "some kind of formal rotation." 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. 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. 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 The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
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 The National Football League playoffs for the 2021 season. This was the first time that the league featured a 17-game regular season schedule, and consequently the start of the playoffs was pushed a week later to January 15, 2022. The postseason ...
, however, the Colts did not qualify. In May 2024, the NFL announced that the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
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.


Seasons


Baltimore Ravens (2001)

Some of the issues covered in the 2001 Ravens season include: *The team looking to repeat as
Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
winners. *
Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
s
Todd Heap Todd Benjamin Heap (born March 16, 1980) is a former American football tight end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Arizona State University, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in ...
and
Dwayne Missouri Dwayne Anthony Missouri (born December 23, 1978) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers. He also was a member of the Berlin Thunder in the NF ...
's adjustment to professional football. *The team's adjustment after a season-ending injury to Jamal Lewis. *The veterans on the team in the final years of their careers ( Shannon Sharpe,
Rod Woodson Roderick Kevin Woodson (born March 10, 1965) is an American former professional football defensive back in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. He is currently the Head Coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers. Woodson was drafted in the ...
,
Qadry Ismail Qadry Rahmadan Ismail (born November 8, 1970), nicknamed "the Missile", is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round (52nd overall) of the 1993 NFL draft. He played college football at S ...
, and Tony Siragusa). *The
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
competition between
Elvis Grbac Elvis M. Grbac (born August 13, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at Michigan, where he won the ...
and
Randall Cunningham Randall Wade Cunningham Sr. (born March 27, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles and is also known for ...
. * Ozzie Newsome and
Brian Billick Brian Harold Billick (born February 28, 1954) is an American former American football, football coach and commentator. He was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings from 1994 to 1998; the team broke the National Football League, NF ...
's management of the team.


Dallas Cowboys (2002)

Some of the issues covered in the 2002 Cowboys season include: * Quincy Carter's pressure to stay the consistent starting
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
and the acquisition of
Chad Hutchinson Chad Martin Hutchinson (born February 21, 1977) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. He also is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the St. Louis Cardina ...
as a backup quarterback. *
Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
Roy Williams's adjustment to professional football. *
Emmitt Smith Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys. Among other accolades, he is the lea ...
beginning his final season in Dallas, and his pursuit to become the NFL's all-time rushing yards leader. *
Dave Campo David Cross Campo (born July 18, 1947) is an American football coach and former player. Campo served as the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) from 2000 to 2002, compiling a record of 15 wins and 33 losses. He ...
heading into his third (and eventually, final) season as Dallas's
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
. *The training of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.


Kansas City Chiefs (2007)

The series returned on August 8, 2007, featuring the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
and their preparations for the 2007 season. It is the only season of the series not narrated by Liev Schreiber. Instead, actor and Chiefs fan
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
was the narrator. 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 John Brodie Croyle (; born February 6, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Un ...
following the trade of Trent Green. *Star
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Larry Johnson's contract holdout. * Priest Holmes's attempted return to football after missing all of 2006 after a career-threatening neck injury. *The contract holdout and later development of
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick of
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
. *
Boomer Grigsby James Harvey "Boomer" Grigsby (born November 15, 1981) is a former American football fullback. He played college football at Illinois State, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Grigsby was also a me ...
's switch from
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, p ...
to
fullback Fullback or Full back may refer to: Sports * A position in various kinds of football, including: ** Full-back (association football), in association football (soccer), a defender playing in a wide position ** Fullback (gridiron football), in Americ ...
. *The development of rookie
defensive linemen In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
Tank Tyler and
Turk McBride Claude Maurice "Turk" McBride (born May 30, 1985) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college foot ...
. *The competition between two undrafted
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
s -
Tyron Brackenridge Tyron Lyle Brackenridge (born June 30, 1984) is a former Canadian football defensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He is a former gridiron football cornerback who played the majority of his career with the ...
and
Dimitri Patterson Dimitri Jonthiel Patterson (born June 18, 1983) is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Tuskegee and Southeast Missouri State Universit ...
. *
Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
star
Bobby Sippio Robert Lee "Bobby" Sippio, Jr. (born December 4, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Peoria Pirates in 2002. He played college football at Western Kentucky. During Sippio's professional career, he played for t ...
's attempt to catch on with an outdoor team.


Dallas Cowboys (2008)

The
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
were chronicled for the second time on the television series' fourth season, which premiered on August 6, 2008. Some of the issues covered in the 2008 Cowboys season include: *
Cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Adam "Pacman" Jones Adam Bernard Jones (born September 30, 1983) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals. Nicknamed "Pacman", he was dra ...
' reinstatement into the NFL. * Cameron Fegreus (free agent from Woodhaven, Michigan) attempting to make the team. * Keon Lattimore, a younger brother of
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who played as a Linebacker#Middle linebacker, middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in th ...
, competing for a job. *
Todd Lowber Todd Lowber (born January 26, 1982) is a former gridiron football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2007. ...
, a very athletic wide receiver new to the game of football, trying to make the team. * Undersized wide receiver Danny Amendola competing for a job. *
Rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
s Felix Jones and Martellus Bennett adjusting to NFL camp for the first time.


Cincinnati Bengals (2009)

The
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
season premiered on August 12, 2009. Its ratings were higher than any previous season of ''Hard Knocks'', and it won two Sports Emmy Awards: one for ''Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology,'' and one for ''Outstanding Post Produced Audio / Sound.'' Some of the issues covered in the 2009 Bengals season include: *The battle for the starting fullback position between
Jeremi Johnson Jeremi Ray Johnson (born September 4, 1980) is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Indiana University and Western Kentucky. Early years Joh ...
,
Chris Pressley Chris Pressley (born August 8, 1986) is a former American football fullback. He went undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft after playing for five years for the University of Wisconsin–Madison Badgers. Pressley's maximum back squat weight is 770 pound ...
,
Fui Vakapuna Fui Vakapuna (pronounced foo-ē vac-uh-poo-nǎ; born March 9, 1984) is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at BYU. Professional care ...
, and
J.D. Runnels James D. Runnels (born June 19, 1984) is an American football coach and former fullback who is the co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the Houston Gamblers of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football a ...
. *The injuries of
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
s
Reggie Kelly Reginald Kuta Kelly (born February 22, 1977) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft and played the majority of his career for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played ...
and Ben Utecht, and the adjustment of
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
tight end Chase Coffman to the NFL. *The contract holdout of
offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Offensive (military), an attack * Offensive language ** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
Andre Smith, the Bengals' first-round draft pick of
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
. *The battle for the starting
strong safety Safety is a position in gridiron football on the defense. The safeties are defensive backs who line up ten to fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage. There are two variations of the position: the free safety and the strong safety. Their dut ...
position between veteran Roy Williams and
Chinedum Ndukwe Chinedum "Nedu" Ndukwe ( ; born March 4, 1985) is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame. He also played ...
. *The recovery effort of starting
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Carson Palmer from an injury-plagued 2008 season. *The antics and catchphrases of wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (as he referred to before changing his name back to Chad ''Johnson'' in 2012). *The development and maturation of wide receiver Chris Henry.


New York Jets (2010)

The
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
were chronicled in the series' sixth season. An official announcement was made on March 25, 2010, 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''. The Jets declined another opportunity to appear in the series in 2011. Some of the issues covered in the 2010 Jets season include: *The vocal coaching style of
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Rex Ryan Rex Ashley Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching position ...
, 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!" *
Cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Darrelle Revis's contract holdout. *The battle for the starting fullback position between veteran Tony Richardson, journeyman Jason Davis and
rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
John Conner. *Second-year starting quarterback Mark Sanchez's development as the "face" of the franchise. *
Kris Jenkins Kristopher Rudy-Charles Jenkins (born August 3, 1979) is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of ...
's return after ACL surgery. *
Running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
Danny Woodhead's attempt to make the team. *Cornerback
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Diego ...
attempting (and failing) to name all 9 of his children.


''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. 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 Brian Harold Billick (born February 28, 1954) is an American former American football, football coach and commentator. He was the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings from 1994 to 1998; the team broke the National Football League, NF ...
, Shannon Sharpe,
Mike Westhoff Mike Westhoff (born January 10, 1948) is a former special teams coach in the National Football League (NFL). Previously, he coached for a number of teams, most notably for the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. Westhoff is considered to be among ...
, and others.


Miami Dolphins (2012)

On May 29, 2012,
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
Joe Philbin Joseph Anthony Philbin (born July 2, 1961) is an American football coach who, until recently, served as the offensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, a position he h ...
announced that the team would participate in the 2012 season of ''Hard Knocks.'' Some of the issues covered in the 2012 Dolphins season include: *The contract negotiation of
Ryan Tannehill Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
, followed by his development as a rookie
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
in the NFL. *The quarterback position battle between Matt Moore, David Garrard and
Ryan Tannehill Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
, with Tannehill winning the starting job after week 2 of the
pre-season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of Se ...
. *The health issues of David Garrard, especially after undergoing knee surgery during training camp. He was released from the team the same day this season's final episode aired. *The difficulty of Les Brown in adjusting from former college basketball player to NFL
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
, and his subsequent
release Release may refer to: * Art release, the public distribution of an artistic production, such as a film, album, or song * Legal release, a legal instrument * News release, a communication directed at the news media * Release (ISUP), a code to ident ...
from the team. *The meeting in which Philbin informs
Chad Johnson Chad Ochocinco Johnson (born Chad Javon Johnson; January 9, 1978), known from 2008 to 2012 as Chad Ochocinco, is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for Santa Monica College and Oregon State University, and pl ...
(formerly Chad ''Ochocinco'') of his release from the team following his arrest for allegedly headbutting his wife of 41 days. *The meeting in which general manager Jeff Ireland informs
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Vontae Davis that he was traded to the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
for two future draft picks.


Cincinnati Bengals (2013)

The
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
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. 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 * The backup quarterback position battle between Josh Johnson and
John Skelton John Skelton may refer to: *John Skelton (poet) (c.1460–1529), English poet. * John de Skelton, MP for Cumberland (UK Parliament constituency) *John Skelton (died 1439), MP for Cumberland (UK Parliament constituency) *John Skelton (American footb ...
* Estonian rookie defensive end
Margus Hunt Margus Hunt (born July 14, 1987) is an Estonian professional American football defensive end who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at SMU. He also pla ...
's adjustment to the NFL and life in the U.S. * The fullback position battle between veteran John Conner and converted tight end
Orson Charles Orson Charles (born January 27, 1991) is a former American football tight end and fullback. He played college football at Georgia. High school career Charles attended Riverview High School before transferring to Henry B. Plant High School in T ...
* The linebacker position battle between undrafted rookies
Jayson DiManche Jayson Dimanche (born September 22, 1990) is a Haitian former American football linebacker. He was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He played college football at Southern Illinois. Early years He at ...
and Bruce Taylor. * Linebacker
Aaron Maybin Aaron Michael Maybin (born April 6, 1988) is a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). His college football career was at Penn State University where he received consensus All-American hon ...
's struggle to stay on the team and his pursuit of painting.


Atlanta Falcons (2014)

On June 12, 2014, the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
announced that the team would participate in the 2014 season of ''Hard Knocks'' premiering on August 5, 2014. Some of the issues covered in the 2014 Falcons season include: * The Falcons attempt to build more toughness into the team after a disappointing 2013 season. * Veteran
Kroy Biermann Kroy Evan Biermann (born September 12, 1985) is a former American football outside linebacker. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Montana. He is married to former Bravo t ...
's attempt to return from a major injury and switch positions. * Rookies
Tyler Starr Tyler Starr (born January 25, 1991) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round (255th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Dakota. College career Starr ...
and Jacques Smith's attempt to make the team.


Houston Texans (2015)

On May 27, 2015, it was announced the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
would be the team featured for the 2015 season premiering on August 11, 2015. Some of the issues covered in the 2015 Texans season include: * Head coach Bill O'Brien trying to lead the team to the playoffs after finishing just short in 2014. * The quarterback battle between Ryan Mallett and
Brian Hoyer Axel Edward Brian Hoyer (born October 13, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Since joining the NFL in 2009 as an undrafted free agent, he has started for seven different ...
. * Vince Wilfork bringing leadership and experience to Houston. * J.J. Watt working out to Fort Minor's ''Remember The Name'' * Jadeveon Clowney returning from a torn meniscus. * Reigning Defensive Player of the Year
J. J. Watt Justin James Watt (born March 22, 1989) is an American football defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Central Michigan and Wisconsin and was drafted by the Houston Texans i ...
trying to become an even better player. * Rookies
Kevin Johnson Kevin Johnson may refer to: Entertainment *Kevin Johnson (singer) (born 1942), Australian singer * Kevin Johnson (ventriloquist) (born 1970), ventriloquist on ''America's Got Talent'' * Kevin Royal Johnson (born 1961), American singer-songwriter a ...
and Jaelen Strong adjusting to life in the NFL. *
David Quessenberry David Lee Quessenberry Jr. (born August 24, 1990) is an American football offensive guard for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft and previously p ...
recovering from cancer. * Charles James,
Kourtnei Brown Kourtnei Brown (born April 17, 1988) is a former American football outside linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the ...
, and
Uzoma Nwachukwu Uzoma "E.Z." Nwachukwu (born December 15, 1990) is an American former American football, football wide receiver, sports marketing agent, and television personality. He played college football for Texas A&M Aggies football, Texas A&M. He was a m ...
try to make the team.


Los Angeles Rams (2016)

On March 23, 2016, it was announced the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
would be the team featured for the 2016 season premiering on August 9, 2016. Some of the issues covered in the 2016 Rams season include: * The team moving back to Los Angeles after spending 21 years in St. Louis * Head coach Jeff Fisher releasing the previous season's starting quarterback Nick Foles over the telephone * First overall draft pick
Jared Goff Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, where he set the Pac-12 Conference season records for passing ...
's first experiences in the NFL *
Eric Kush Eric Kush (born September 9, 1989) is an American football Guard (American football), guard who is a free agent. He played college football at California Vulcans football, California University of Pennsylvania. Kush was selected by the Kansas Ci ...
fighting for a spot on the roster *
William Hayes William Hayes may refer to: In politics *William Hayes (Irish politician), Irish Sinn Féin politician *William Hayes (Canadian politician) (1879–1939), member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta * William P. Hayes (1866–1940), American la ...
' unconventional beliefs about the existence of
mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...
s and
dinosaurs Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017)

On April 19, 2017, it was announced the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
would be the team featured for the 2017 season premiering on August 8, 2017.


Cleveland Browns (2018)

On May 17, 2018, it was announced the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
would be the team featured for the 2018 season premiering on August 7, 2018. Some of the issues covered in the 2018 Browns season include: * First overall draft pick
Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Texas Tech, Mayfield played college football at Oklahoma, where he won the Hei ...
adjusting to life in the NFL. * Josh Gordon returning to training camp for the first start since his second substance abuse policy violation in 2014. *
Hue Jackson Hue Jackson (born October 22, 1965) is an American football coach who is the head football coach at Grambling State University. An offensive assistant at both the collegiate and professional levels, he held coordinator positions in the Nationa ...
trying to retain his position as head coach and win games after just one victory over the last two seasons. * Jarvis Landry assuming responsibility as a leader on the team. *
Corey Coleman Corey Defians Coleman (born July 6, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football at Baylor and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first ...
's dissatisfaction with his role on offense and subsequent trade to the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
* Rookie Antonio Callaway being unable to avoid run-ins with the law. * Journeymen
Devon Cajuste Devon Gregory Cajuste (born January 31, 1993) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Stanford and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He was also a member of the Green Bay Pac ...
and
Nate Orchard Nathaniel Fakahafua Orchard (born Napa'a Lilo Fakahafua on January 5, 1993) is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2015 N ...
trying to make the team. *
Carl Nassib Carl Paul Nassib (born April 12, 1993) is an American football outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) . He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning unanimous All-American h ...
's finance lessons. * Rookie quarterback
Brogan Roback Brogan William Roback (born August 29, 1994) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Eastern Michigan. College career Roback played college football at Eastern Michigan, where he saw action in 46 games with 745 ...
trying to make the team.


Oakland Raiders (2019)

On June 11, 2019, it was announced the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
would be the team featured for the 2019 season premiering on August 6, 2019. Some of the issues covered in the 2019 Raiders season include: * With the construction of
Allegiant Stadium Allegiant Stadium is a domed stadium located in Paradise, Nevada. It is the home stadium for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL), the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels college football team, the Las Ve ...
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 The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
regarding a grievance with the league's new helmet rules. * The return of
Richie Incognito Richard Dominik Incognito Jr. (born July 5, 1983) is a former American football guard. He played college football at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played fo ...
. * The backup quarterback competition between
Mike Glennon Michael Joseph Glennon (born December 12, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He played college football at NC State and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also pl ...
and
Nathan Peterman Nathan Michael Peterman (born May 4, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh following a stint with Tennessee and was selected by the Buffal ...
.


Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers (2020)

On April 7, 2020, it was announced that the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
and Los Angeles Chargers had volunteered to be featured for the 2020 season. 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 The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
were heavy favorites to appear due to the team's national appeal and rare position to be "forced" onto the series; the Steelers themselves have long opposed being featured. On June 18, 2020, it was announced that the 2020 season would premiere on August 11, 2020. 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 COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.


Dallas Cowboys (2021)

On July 2, 2021, it was announced that the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
would be the team featured for the 2021 season premiering on August 10, 2021.


Indianapolis Colts (2021)

On September 16, 2021, it was announced that the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
would become the first team to be featured during the regular season.


Detroit Lions (2022)

On March 28, 2022, it was announced that the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
would be the team featured for the 2022 season premiering on August 9, 2022.


Arizona Cardinals (2022)

On May 23, 2022, the Cardinals were announced as the next ''In Season'' team, to premier on November 9, 2022.


New York Jets (2023)

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. Prior to the 2023 season, only four teams (the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
, Washington Commanders,
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, and
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
) met none of those qualifications. 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 Robert Saleh (born January 31, 1979) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). A defensive coach for much of his 20-year coaching career, Saleh has served as an assistant co ...
stated, "I know there are several teams that would love ''Hard Knocks'' to be in their building. We're just not one of them." 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 George Halas McCaskey is the current chairman of the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He replaced his brother Michael McCaskey as chairman in 2011. Biography McCaskey, the eighth-oldest child of Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey and E ...
said that he would be glad to see any team on the show except the Bears. The Jets' offseason was notable for the addition of four-time NFL Most Valuable Player
Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Rodgers began his college football career at Butte College in 2002 before transferring to the ...
, who had months earlier requested a trade to New York from his former team, the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. On July 12,
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
reported that the NFL had selected the Jets as the show's next featured team. 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." ESPN's
Adam Schefter Adam Schefter (born December 21, 1966) is an American sports writer and television analyst. After graduating from University of Michigan and Northwestern University with degrees in journalism, Schefter wrote for several newspapers, including ''T ...
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.


Miami Dolphins (2023)

On October 23, 2023, the Dolphins were announced as the next ''In Season'' team, to premier on November 21, 2023.


New York Giants (2024)

On May 15, 2024, it was announced that the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
would become the first team to feature their offseason premiering on July 2, 2024.


Chicago Bears (2024)

On May 30, 2024, it was announced that the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
would be the team featured for the 2024 season premiering on August 6, 2024.


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,'' it aired on the NFL Network and was narrated by frequent NFL Films narrator Robb Webb. Some of the issues covered in this 2004 series include: *
Jack Del Rio Jack Louis Del Rio Jr. (born April 4, 1963) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football as a linebacker at the University of South ...
's second season as a
head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches. In some sports, the head coach is instead called the "manager", as in assoc ...
*The development of rookie wide receiver Reggie Williams, the Jaguars' first-round draft pick of
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
*The relationship between rookie
placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. Spe ...
Josh Scobee and
special teams In American football, the specific role that a player takes on the field is referred to as their "position". Under the modern rules of American football, both teams are allowed 11 players on the field at one time and have "unlimited free substitu ...
coach Pete Rodriguez


References


External links

* * {{HBO documentaries Hard Knocks 2000s American documentary television series 2000s American reality television series 2001 American television series debuts 2010s American documentary television series 2010s American reality television series 2020s American documentary television series 2020s American reality television series American English-language television shows American sports television series Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Dallas Cowboys Documentary television series about sports HBO documentary films HBO original programming HBO Sports Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins National Football League television series New York Jets Television series by NFL Films