Bears still not interested in being featured on ‘Hard Knocks’

Bears chairman George McCaskey hasn’t changed his stance on “Hard Knocks.”

The Chicago Bears are once again eligible to be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series, which offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into an NFL team during training camp and preseason.

Bears chairman George McCaskey has previously made his feelings clear on the matter: He’s not interested in “Hard Knocks,” which many feel would be a distraction.

But with new president Kevin Warren in place, you have to wonder if the organization’s position has changed. According to the Chicago Tribune, when Warren was asked Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings whether there was interest in doing “Hard Knocks,” he chuckled.

“That’s always interesting,” Warren said. “I have interests in making sure that the NFL stays strong and vibrant.”

While Warren didn’t exactly say “no” in his response, McCaskey later offered a firm “no” in response to whether his own stance on “Hard Knocks” had changed.

The Bears are one of three teams that can be forced into doing “Hard Knocks,” which also includes the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints. When looking at those three teams, there’s little doubt Chicago would be the most attractive option for the NFL.

They’re ushering in a new era with projected No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, they have a young, ascending defense, they’re looking to make that next step to contend for the playoffs and they’re one of 10 teams never featured on the show before.

“We’re told there is some interest in other teams being on the program,” McCaskey said. “And we welcome that interest.”

At this point, a team volunteering appears to be McCaskey’s best bet of getting the Bears out of “Hard Knocks.”

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Bengals could be impacted soon by major ‘Hard Knocks’ changes

The Bengals could be back on the show soon after major changes to how teams are selected.

A handful of newly approved NFL rules could impact the Cincinnati Bengals on the field in 2024.

And one notable alteration could impact the teams and fans in a pretty big way.

NFL owners voted to approve changes to NFL Media’s “Hard Knocks” docuseries. Now, the in-season edition of the show will feature an entire division, even into the playoffs.

Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal detailed this and changes to the offseason show and what teams are eligible for it:

… teams will only be able to avoid the off-season “Hard Knocks” production if they: 1.) Have participated before in the last 8 years (down from 10 years); 2.) Have a first-year head coach (unchanged); or 3.) Will participate in the in-season “Hard Knocks” show in the current season or next season.

Also under this plan, the three-year-old in-season version of “Hard Knocks” would now feature a full four-team division instead of a single team. That would ease competitive concerns, give producers more options for storytelling, and lighten the load on any single team, proponents say.

In short, the Bengals can still avoid the offseason show if they meet the above criteria. But if the AFC North is chosen for the in-season version, there’s no avoiding it.

It’s simply something to keep in mind. The Bengals are obviously one of the most interesting teams in the league right now as Joe Burrow comes back from an injury and they hope to contend again.

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Former Lions QB David Blough joins Washington Commanders coaching staff

Blough spent the 2023 season on the Lions practice squad

Turns out someone is joining the Washington Commanders coaching staff from the Lions after all. After Ben Johnson decided to stay in Detroit instead of taking the Commanders head coach position they hired Dan Quinn from the Dallas Cowboys. Quinn has been building up his staff and his new assistant quarterbacks coach is former Lions quarterback David Blough.

Blough finished the 2023 season on the Lions practice squad while also serving as the third quarterback for the team.

Blough had previously been on the Lions from 2019 to 2021. His cutting from the roster was filmed on Hard Knocks, from there he would bounce around on the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals rosters.

Outside of football, Blough also had his wife, Melissa Gonzalez, compete in trials for the Olympics on the show with his reaction going viral in the process.

Lions coach Dan Campbell had always praised Blough for his professionalism and ability to be prepared. That type of professionalism is why he is now transitioning to the coaching ranks. He will serve as the assistant quarterbacks coach under Tavita Pritchard and Kliff Kingsbury.

Broncos among 3 teams who could be forced into Hard Knocks in 2024

The Broncos, Bears and Saints can’t say no if the NFL asks them to be featured on ‘Hard Knocks’ this summer.

Each summer, NFL Films cameras follow a team through training camp and preseason for Hard Knocks, HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at an NFL team.

Any team can volunteer for the show, but they rarely do, so the NFL has a mandate that teams that meet certain requirements can be forced into the show.

If a team (1) does not have a new head coach, (2) has not made the playoffs within the last three years and (3) has not been featured on Hard Knocks within the last 10 years, they can’t say no if asked to be featured on the show.

The Denver Broncos are one of three teams that match all of those criteria, joining the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints. If they stick with Derek Carr, the Saints seem to be the least intriguing option. The Bears might be the top choice if they use the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft on a quarterback. The Broncos might have a new rookie QB this summer as well.

The NFL announced the 2023 Hard Knocks team (the New York Jets) last July. Two years ago, the 2022 team (the Detroit Lions) was announced in March. It’s unclear when the 2024 team will be announced.

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Bears one of three teams eligible for ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2024

For the second year in a row, the Bears can be forced to appear on Hard Knocks. Will this finally be the year it happens?

The Chicago Bears narrowly avoided Hard Knocks in 2023. Will that be the case in 2024? For the second year in a row, the Bears are one of a few teams in the NFL that can be forced to be the focus of the long-running HBO series Hard Knocks during training camp.

Hard Knocks follows one NFL team throughout their training camp, providing fans with glimpses into players and coaches journeys as they prepare for the upcoming season. Any team can volunteer to be featured, but certain teams can be forced to do it if there are no takers.

If a team has made the playoffs within the last two seasons, has hired a new coach, or has appeared on the show within the last 10 years, they are exempt from that year’s Hard Knocks. The New York Jets were featured last year after the NFL forced them to do it, having been one of four teams eligible. The Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Denver Broncos are the only teams that do not fit that criteria this year.

Halas Hall would make for an intriguing setting for next season’s series, given the possibility of having a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams in the fold as well as boasting an ascending team, particularly on defense. But chairman George McCaskey has been adamant about not having the cameras around in past seasons, and his stance likely hasn’t changed. “We feel there are a number of teams that have compelling stories to tell on Hard Knocks,” McCaskey said during last year’s owners meetings. “31 others,” he clarified.

Time will tell if the league will respect his wishes, but the Bears may not be able to avoid the series this year.

Saints eligible to be forced into ‘Hard Knocks’ feature in 2024

The Saints are eligible, again, to be forced into this year’s ‘Hard Knocks’ feature. But so are Sean Payton’s Broncos:

Is this the year the New Orleans Saints spend training camp in front of cameras? Dennis Allen’s team is one of three teams who can be forced into a feature for the annual “Hard Knocks” documentary series from HBO and NFL Films.

Of course the league would prefer a team volunteer for some time in the spotlight. But many organizations view the “Hard Knocks” experience as an unneeded distraction during a pivotal time of the year, so it’s not often that anyone steps up.

And there are rules defining which teams are eligible for forced coverage: teams that do not have a first-year head coach which missed the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, and who have not already been featured on the documentary series during the last decade.

That leaves the Saints as one of three squads for it, along with the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. We’re guessing Sean Payton is going to reject any overtures from the “Hard Knocks” producers with vehemence. The Bears could be a better fit than the Saints, but we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out over the summer.

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Best moments from final episode of Dolphins ‘Hard Knocks’

Here’s what we saw in the final episode of “Hard Knocks.”

The Miami Dolphins finished the 2023 regular season with a loss to the Buffalo Bills and followed that up with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium to eliminate them from the postseason.

Mike McDaniel’s team had more eyes on them than a normal team this season, as they were the focus of the year’s edition of the in-season version of “Hard Knocks” on HBO and Max.

The night and final episode of the season aired on Tuesday night. Here are some of the best moments from episode No. 9 (some are NSFW):

Broncos are likely a top contender for ‘Hard Knocks’ in 2024

If the NFL asks the Broncos to be featured on Hard Knocks in 2024, the club can’t turn them down.

Each summer, NFL Films follows a team through training camp and preseason to film Hard Knocks, HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at life in the NFL.

Teams can volunteer for the show, but they rarely do. (The Denver Broncos have been asked to be featured in the past and have politely declined.)

If the Broncos are asked to feature on the show in 2024, they can’t say no.

If a club has a new head coach or has been on the show within the last ten years or has made the playoffs within the last two years, the league can’t force them into Hard Knocks. If a team does not fall under any of those categories, they’re fair game.

The Broncos do not have a new coach, they have never been featured on Hard Knocks and they haven’t made the playoffs in eight years. If so desired, the NFL can choose them for 2024, and Denver couldn’t say no.

Other options could include the Chicago Bears, who may or may not use the No. 1 overall pick on a quarterback, and the Indianapolis Colts, who will be going into Year 2 with Anthony Richardson under center.

Those are interesting stories, but the post-Russell Wilson era (presumably with a rookie QB coming in) likely makes Sean Payton and the Broncos a top candidate for the show. The fact that Payton has already hinted at the slightest of openness to Hard Knocks might be a sign of things to come.

The NFL announced the 2023 Hard Knocks team (the New York Jets) last July. Two years ago, the 2022 team (the Detroit Lions) was announced in March. So there’s a big window for an announcement to be made.

Nothing is official yet, and Denver certainly isn’t a lock, but the Broncos would be a logical choice for Hard Knocks in 2024.

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Best moments from seventh episode of Dolphins ‘Hard Knocks’

Here’s what we saw in the seventh episode of “Hard Knocks.”

The Miami Dolphins finished the 2023 calendar year with a loss on Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens to fall to 11-5 through the first 17 weeks of the season.

And, now, they have even more attention on them, as they’re the focus of this year’s edition of the in-season version of “Hard Knocks” on HBO and Max.

The seventh episode of the season aired on Tuesday night with more to follow weekly.

Here are some of the best moments from episode No. 7 (some are NSFW):

Sean Payton defends handling of Russell Wilson, hints at ‘Hard Knocks’

Sean Payton defended his treatment of Russell Wilson, and the Broncos coach hinted that he might be open to being featured on ‘Hard Knocks.’

After the Denver Broncos benched quarterback Russell Wilson last week, coach Sean Payton faced heavy criticism from fans and pundits for how he handled the Wilson situation this season.

Payton yelling at Wilson on the sideline did not help the perception that the coach was not a fan of his quarterback, but Payton did stick up for Wilson the moment he arrived in Denver.

Pundits like ESPN’s Ryan Clark seem to have forgotten about Payton’s defense of Wilson this offseason. The coach has been absolutely blasted by national media members since Wilson was benched.

The coach was asked last Friday about the criticism he’s faced.

“I think it’s part of the deal, and I understand it,” Payton said. “I get it. It’s the only thing that makes me once and a while want to do Hard Knocks. There’s a perception. That would be the only reason to get an inside look as to this whole ‘old school’ approach. Shoot, you don’t do this this long if you’re not adjusting, funny, creative — all those things. I think I am all those things.”

Because the Broncos will not have a new head coach, did not qualify for the playoffs in 2023 and have not appeared on Hard Knocks in the last ten years, they can’t say no if the NFL asks them to be featured on the show next summer. Payton hinting that he has even the slightest of willingness to be on the show might be something to keep an eye on going into the offseason.

Back to Wilson — Payton insisted after Sunday’s 16-9 win over the Los Angeles Chargers that he has a good relationship with his quarterback.

“Look, I think this idea that he and I, or we, don’t have a good relationship, or he’s not a fit, all of that stuff comes from people further away from our program,” Payton said. “You guys are close to it. I think the further away people are from the program, the more they just jump to a narrative. It is what it is, but he’s approached this week like we expected — like a pro. That’s it.” 

Wilson, as usual, has handled the situation well. New starter Jarrett Stidham praised the quarterback for his help leading up to last week’s game.

“We had a great talk at the beginning of the week,” Stidham said of Wilson after beating the Chargers. “He said he was there for me — anything I needed. We were communicating on the sideline after drives and stuff. [I] can’t speak highly enough about him — I said that earlier this week. Great teammate, great person. He was super helpful throughout the week.”

Payton has insisted that he does not have a fractured relationship with Wilson, but that hasn’t stopped speculation that Wilson will likely be released in March. That’s a storyline to keep an eye on in the coming months — and Denver’s candidacy for Hard Knocks is another topic to monitor.

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