Hard Knocks Eligible Teams 2023 And Can They Say No

By Sushan Shrestha / 14 July 2023 04:00 AM

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson would like his team to be on Hard Knocks 2023( Source : twitter )

Hard knocks eligible teams 2023 are the Bears, the Saints, the Jets, and the Commanders. Hard Knocks team 2023 will be New York Jets.

The Giants were the favorites who had the best Hard Knock seasons. Out of these four teams, only the Giants have been part of the project.

They were covered in the sixth installment (2010), which won the Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Edited Sports Series or Anthology.

Some of the highlights of that edition were:

Mark Sanchez's rise to become the franchise's face
Return of Kris Jenkins from ACL surgery
Battle for the fullback position between John Conner, Jason Davis, and Tony Richardson
Rex Ryan's vocal coaching

Over the years, the production has tried to provide a behind-the-scenes franchise journey in seventeen seasons spanning over ninety episodes.

The sports docuseries rightly presents an unfabricated story of coaches, players, and other staff members.

When Does Hard Knocks Start 2023?

Hard Knocks 2023 schedule will begin on the Tuesday of the second week of August. Hard Knocks episode 1 will air on August 8, 2023.

Hard Knocks 2023 announcement date was on June 27, 2023, on Twitter by Dov Kleiman.

The official announcement was out on third week of July. Previously, the series with Detriot Lions aired on HBO on 9th August at 10 p.m. ET, per The Sporting News.

Likewise, the 2021's edition with the Cowboys premiered on 10th August. Looking at the track record of past years, we can only assume that the production network does not deviate from the traditional route and airs the series on a similar date and timing.

HBO Max subscribers can watch the series on any smart TV or device via the HBO Max application. They can also enjoy it on the HBO channel in their TV setup.

For the past years, the program has started at 10 p.m. ET on HBO( Source : twitter )

If you don't have a subscription to the network, you can get one at $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. If you want an ad-free package, you must pay $149.99 yearly.

Similarly, an HBO Max subscription is charged at $10 monthly and $100 annually. Ad-free subscription costs $16 per month and $150 per year.

Can Teams Say No To Hard Knocks?

Teams eligible for hard knocks cannot say no to the selectors. CBS Sports reported that Las Vegas Raiders were featured in 2019 despite being uninterested.

Cincinnati Bengals accepted the 2013's proposal after being rejected by six teams( Source : facebook )

The 2013 NFL-HBO rule forced the unwilling teams to be filmed during the training camps, even if they said no.

The same year, five teams declined the opportunity to be in the show. Those who refused to be filmed were:

Atlanta Falcons
Houston Texans
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Redskins

Because of the difficulty of getting a team to willingly participate in the production, the league came up with the exemption rule, which we will discuss in the next section.

How Does Hard Knocks Choose Teams?

Hard Knocks chooses teams based on three different criteria. The only exception is if any other franchise voluntarily gives its name for the production.

Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams volunteered for the project in 2020. They were non-eligible teams but became the show's core due to their voluntary participation.

Hard Knocks Eligibility

Hard Knocks requirements follow the 'Hard Knocks' formula. It has been around since 2014 to ease the selection procedure.

The 4 NFL teams eligible for Hard Knocks in 2023 are:

* New York #Jets
* Chicago #Bears
* New Orleans #Saints
* Washington #Commanders

Who do you want to see the most? pic.twitter.com/k6Sbn4X6iJ
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 2, 2023

If any team meets at least one of the following, they won't be eligible for the show:

Appearance in the postseason in the last two campaigns
A new head coach in his first year for the franchise
Participation in the Hard Knocks in the previous decade

It not only takes the pressure off the shoulders of the league but also clarifies whether a team will be compelled to take part.

Philadelphia Eagles failed to clinch the trophy against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl LVII. They won't have to feature for at least two years.

Likewise, Indianapolis Colts fired Franch Reich and recruited Shane Steichen to take the duty of the head coach. NFL Hard Knocks 2023 won't cover the Colts.

Cleveland Browns were part of the program in 2017 and won't be a potential team for the 2023's edition.

What Teams Have Been On Hard Knocks?

Teams that have been on hard knocks are Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and eleven more.

Arizona Cardinals were the In Season team for the 2022's edition( Source : twitter )

In 2021, the Indianapolis Colts became the first in-season team to be filmed for TV. It means the Colts' regular season journey was televised on HBO.

Teams on Hard Knocks over the seventeen seasons comprise these remaining names:

Los Angeles Chargers
Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Jets
Houston Texans
Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons
Oakland Raiders

Who Is Hard Knocks 2023?

Hard Knocks 2023 team is New York Jets featuring Aaron Rodgers according to Dov Kleiman of Brobible.

Last year, HBO's public announcement of the selection of the Detroit Lions was published by NFL on 28th March.

NY Jets will be Hard Knocks team 2023 according to Brobible.( Source : twitter )

The delay in picking a franchise for the show did not unnoticed. Dallas Cowboys selection for the show was revealed on 2nd July.

Detroit Lions were part of the 2022's version( Source : facebook )

As long as the muli-year deal between the studio and the league exists, the series will get a team to cover during its offseason practice.

CNBC reports that the NFL agreed to a four-year compact with WarnerMedia's HBO for the 'Hard Knocks' on 18th July 2020.

Hard Knocks History

Hard knocks teams by year are Baltimore Ravens (2001), Dallas Cowboys (2002), Kansas City Chiefs (2003), and others.

The HBO network broadcasted the Baltimore Ravens' pre-season journey in the series' first edition in 2001. They were the Super Bowl XXXV winners, and their inclusion created a great buzz for the production.

Dallas Cpwboys has appeared the most (3-times)( Source : facebook )

The adjustment of Todd Heap and Dwayne Missouri to the pro football life, Jamal Lewis's injury and its impact, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Woodson, Tony Siragus, and Qadry Ismail's final season, the position rivalry of Elvis Grbac and Randall Cunningham, and the management aspect were the focal points.

Likewise, the second edition took Dallas Cowboys and covered similar aspects to its predecessors. Additionally, the training of the cheerleading squad of the Cowboys was new for the show.

Both seasons were narrated by X-Men Origins: Wolverine star Issac Liev Schreiber.

After that, the production went into a seven-year hiatus and returned for the third installment with Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. The Ant-Man actor Paul Raudd narrated that year's broadcast.

Below is the list of franchises featured from 2008 to 2022: