Category: Hard Knocks

WATCH: First look at HBO’s Hard Knocks In-Season with the AFC North

HBO released the initial trailer for Hard Knocks In-Season with the AFC North featuring the Ravens, Bengals, Browns and Steelers

The AFC North is the most challenging division in the NFL. The season started with four potential 2024 playoff teams and tons of storylines. As HBO’s Hard Knocks takes an inside, in-season look at this historical division, fans will now have an up-close look.

For the first time since its debut, the award-winning docuseries goes behind the scenes of an entire NFL division for the first time. Warner Brothers Discovery made the announcement back in June.

HARD KNOCKS: IN SEASON WITH THE AFC NORTH will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. The 18-time Emmy®-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals, and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and an array of other AFC North star players.

It will debut Tuesday, December 3, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and stream on Max. Subsequent Tuesdays will air through the end of the NFL regular season and continue into the NFL playoffs in January 2025. HBO released the first trailer on Tuesday, and it looks as intense as the action presents.

Baltimore was the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series 2001. Since then, the Bengals have appeared twice, in 2009 and 2013, and the Browns in 2018, while the Pittsburgh Steelers will be making their debut appearance. Storylines to watch will include Patrick Queen’s arrival in Pittsburgh and the renewed Steelers-Ravens rivalry.

Contract disputes in Cleveland, Deshaun Watson’s return and subsequent injury, Russell Wilson’s debut, Justin Field’s arrival, and Joe Burrow’s return are just the tip of the iceberg of storylines and interesting subplots.

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VIDEO: Thrilling HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ AFC North trailer will amp up Steelers fans

The official trailer for Hard Knocks In Season with the AFC North, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers, just dropped!

We’re two weeks out from the premiere of HBO’s popular docuseries “Hard Knocks,” featuring not only the Pittsburgh Steelers but the entire AFC North. The official trailer just dropped, and here’s your first look at it in all its glory.

“Hard Knocks” has been taking NFL fans behind the scenes of teams since 2001, but this is the first year they’re going in-depth on an entire division — and we’re here for it. The “in-season” rendition first started in 2021 with the Dallas Cowboys.

For the first time since its debut, the award-winning docuseries goes behind the scenes of an entire NFL division for the first time. Warner Brothers Discovery made the announcement back in June:

“Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North” will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. The 18-time Emmy-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt and an array of other AFC North star players.

This is the first time Pittsburgh will appear in the award-winning docuseries. The Ravens were the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series in 2001. Since then, the Bengals have starred in the summer show in 2009 and 2013 and the Browns in 2018.

It’ll be exciting to see a weekly behind-the-scenes look at the Steelers, a team that came out of their Week 9 bye to face the toughest schedule in the NFL.

And there’s no better time for it, with Pittsburgh facing five more AFC North opponents in seven weeks.

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How will Mike Tomlin’s Steelers respond with ‘Hard Knocks’ cameras in their faces?

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a more formidable opponent to contend with on the horizon: HBO film crews in their faces.

Forget the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a more formidable opponent to contend with on the horizon: HBO film crews in their faces full-time for the first in-season rendition of “Hard Knocks.”

Though Mike Tomlin was not asked at his press conference this week about the forthcoming distraction for the Steelers, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh commented on it from Baltimore’s perspective.

Harbaugh said in his press conference on Wednesday that he’s considered how the Ravens will handle having the HBO cameras around full-time at Under Armour Performance Center after their Thanksgiving Week matchup with the L.A. Chargers.

We’re not going to do anything different. We’re just going to be us; that’s how we’re going to handle it. We’re going to be very genuine. It’ll be real.

While it’s Tomlin’s first “Hard Knocks” rodeo, he’s been a head coach for longer than many young fans have been alive and acts accordingly. Tomlin will undoubtedly have his Steelers take a similar approach to Baltimore’s: Don’t do anything different.

This is also Harbaugh’s first “Hard Knocks” rodeo. The Ravens last appeared on the hit docuseries in the pre-Harbaugh era (2001).

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Flashback to the original HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ at Ravens training camp

With the Ravens back on the show, some football fans have been flashing back to that inaugural season.

Monday’s news cycle brought the exciting announcement that NFL Films and HBO’s Hard Knocks series will, for the first time, chronicle an entire NFL division. The AFC North was selected, and it will be covered during the reality series “In Season” portion.

This marks the Baltimore Ravens’ first appearance on the popular program since its inception in 2001.

The Ravens were coming off the franchise’s first Super Bowl win at the time.

Once again, the Ravens are making Hard Knocks history, as they become one of four teams to be in the first divisional edition, complementing their status as the series’ inaugural team selected. According to both NFL Films and HBO, the production was “the first sports-based reality series” in television history.

For the first twenty years of the series’ history, the focus was on the training camp portion of the season only. Then, in 2021, the Indianapolis Colts became the first team to participate in the in-season edition.

This year will mark the first time Hard Knocks has an offseason edition, with the New York Giants selected as the subject matter. With the Ravens back on the show, some football fans have been flashing back to that inaugural season.

The video below features arguably the most iconic clip from that first season: Tim Anderson bringing down the house with his hilarious lampoon of Shannon Sharpe at the rookie talent show.

Watching Sharpe’s reaction, as he loses his mind with laughter, makes the bit much funnier. In the same episode, Todd Heap did a spot-on impersonation of coach Brian Billick, which was pretty hilarious as well.

If you want to watch the first full episode of the entire series, it is embedded here below:

 

Not everyone on the Cardinals is excited about ‘Hard Knocks’

Right tackle Kelvin Beachum has mixed feelings about the Cardinals being on “Hard Knocks” this season.

When it was announced that the Arizona Cardinals would be featured in the in-season version of HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” many within the organization expressed excitement and optimism, citing the possibility of a late-season lift in motivation since there will be cameras everywhere.

Veteran right tackle Kelvin Beachum was asked if he was excited about “Hard Knocks” featuring the team.

“No,” he said.

He elaborated further s to why.

“The thing is the locker room is a safe space,” he explained. “That’s an area — and our offensive line room, for us, is a place where we can just be guys sometimes. To have to filter conversation in that respect, it is what it is.”

Not everything about being on the show could be bad, though.

“It’s going to happen in the second half of the season, which I’m excited about, so that it might give us a little bump, because we’ve struggled there the last couple of years,” he added. “We’ll see what happens.”

He isn’t sure how it will go for him.

“I’ve never been on ‘Hard Knocks’ before. I’ve had teammates who’ve been a part of ‘Hard Knocks.’ I’ve never watched ‘Hard Knocks,’ so it’s going to be an interesting experience.”

It will surely be for a lot of players.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Kliff Kingsbury sees ‘Hard Knocks’ potentially giving Cardinals late-season boost

The Colts were 3-5 and won six of their last seven games when they were on ‘Hard Knocks.’ Kingsbury sees the opportunity as motivation.

The Arizona Cardinals were chosen to be featured on HBO’s in-season version of “Hard Knocks.” That means, during the second half of the season, there will be camera crews documenting practices and meetings.

While some might see this as a distraction, Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury sees it as a positive thing for multiple reasons.

“I think it’s exciting,” he told reporters after Monday’s first practice of OTAs.  “Anytime you get a chance to highlight some of the great people we have in this building, not just players, but coaches (and) staff, (to) tell their stories (and) see a different side of them. I think it will be really good TV.”

It isn’t just the storytelling he sees as a good thing.

He believes it could also help the quality of football. He pointed to the Indianapolis Colts, the featured team for the show’s inaugural in-season run.

“They were 3-5 when the show came,” Kingsbury said. “They won six out of seven and felt like it was kind of like a shot in the arm having them come in. It should be a pretty cool experience.”

The Cardinals have faded late each of the past two seasons. In 2020, they were 6-3 and finished 8-8, missing the playoffs. In 2021, they started 10-2 and finished 11-6 before getting eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Kingsbury believes having the HBO crew in the building and on the practice field could increase everyone’s focus.

“In my experience, anytime a camera is around, people tend to step up and be on the Ps and Qs a little bit more,” he explained. “I think it can be a real positive that stretch of the season for us.

“I think, coaches and players, you’re going to want to be on your ‘A’ game and be well prepared anytime that camera is around and make sure that you’re putting your best foot forward. I think it could be a real motivational tool if we approach it the right way.”

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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All Eyez on Cleveland Podcast special edition w/ Hard Knocks producer Ken Rodgers

Rodgers is a great guest and informative resource on what’s going on behind the scenes in the NFL

A new episode of  ‘All Eyez on Cleveland’ with Ken Rodgers, VP of NFL Films, lead creative producer and showrunner for HBO’s Hard Knocks, is now available. Listen to show host Brad Ward (@WardonSports) as he talks Cleveland Browns football with the most influential personalities in the Cleveland sports landscape.

On this episode of ‘All Eyez on Cleveland’ –

  • Ken Rodgers, VP of NFL Films, head creative producer and showrunner for HBO’s Hard Knocks joins the show
  • Making the show with two teams this year
  • How the lack of an offseason has changed things
  • Making the show during a pandemic
  • Highlighting the efforts of the NFL to play football in a pandemic
  • The protocols his crew must abide by
  • Show personalities
  • Sean McVay and Anthony Lynn
  • And so much more…

You can listen to all episodes of ‘All Eyez on Cleveland’ podcast on multiple platforms, including iTunes, Spreaker, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, Google Play, TuneIn, Radio.com, Pod Knife and Player FM.

Listen: https://chtbl.com/track/DDGB4C/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/alleyezoncleveland/Head_Producer_of_Hard_Knocks_Ken_Rodgers_joins_the_show.mp3?stats-code=HardKnocks

Listen(Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/head-producer-hard-knocks-ken-rodgers-joins-show-to/id1497838211?i=1000487366866

Listen(Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/episode/1jGK8vpbo2aF0DGOMuWHBO?si=GHKAchMTTpauglxJlhCFMA

Web Page: http://alleyezoncleveland.com/head-producer-of-hard-knocks-ken-rodgers-joins-the-show

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/871617214" params="color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%" height="300" iframe="true" /] Brad Ward · Head Producer of Hard Knocks Ken Rodgers joins the show