Hard Knocks (documentary series)

Hard Knocks
Genre	Sports Reality television Documentary series
Created by	Marty Callner
Developed by	HBO Sports NFL Films
Starring	Baltimore Ravens (2001) Dallas Cowboys (2002) Kansas City Chiefs (2007) Dallas Cowboys (2008) Cincinnati Bengals (2009) New York Jets (2010) Miami Dolphins (2012) Cincinnati Bengals (2013) Atlanta Falcons (2014)
Narrated by	Liev Schreiber (2001-2002 & 2008-present) Paul Rudd (2007)
Composer	Dave Robidoux
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	37 (6 in 2001 and 2002, 5 in each season from 2007 on)
Production
Executive producers	Steve Sabol Rick Bernstein Ross Greenburg Marty Callner
Producers	Ken Rodgers Keith Cossrow
Production location	Varies
Running time	~55 minutes (commercial-free)
Original release
Network	HBO
Release	2001 (2001) – present

Hard Knocks is a reality sports documentary television series produced by NFL Films and HBO. The show was first broadcast in 2001, and the current 2014 season is the ninth. Each season, it follows a National Football League (NFL) team through its training camp and covers the team's preparation for the upcoming football season.

The series shows the personal and professional lives of the players, coaches and staff, including their family life, position battles, and even inside jokes and pranks. It particularly focuses on rookies' adjustments to playing in the NFL, usually with emphasis on the team's most recent top draft pick. It usually also chooses to focus on undrafted and journeyman players who are attempting to make the team such as Cameron Fegreus (free agent from Woodhaven, MI).

The NFL and HBO have called Hard Knocks "the first sports-based reality series" in television history.

Production

The series was created by Marty Callner in 2001.

The series has been narrated by Liev Schreiber since 2001, with the only exception being the 2007 season which was narrated by Paul Rudd, a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, and Washington Redskins each declined to be the show's featured team for the 2013 season, while the Cincinnati Bengals accepted, marking their second appearance on the show. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell 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.

On October 8, 2013, the NFL announced that one team each year will be required to participate in Hard Knocks. Teams may still volunteer to be on the show. Teams with new coaches, teams that have been in the playoffs at least once in the past 2 years, or teams that have done the show once in the past 10 years are exempt from being forced into appearing on the show.

On June 12, 2014 it was announced that the Atlanta Falcons will be the team featured on this season's edition of Hard Knocks.

Seasons

Hard Knocks narrator Liev Schreiber

Baltimore Ravens (2001)

Main article: 2001 Baltimore Ravens season

Some of the issues covered in the 2001 Ravens season include:

• The team looking to repeat as Super Bowl winners.
• Rookies Todd Heap and Dwayne Missouri'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, Qadry Ismail, and Tony Siragusa).
• The quarterback competition between Elvis Grbac and Randall Cunningham.
• Ozzie Newsome and Brian Billick's management of the team.

Dallas Cowboys (2002)

Main article: 2002 Dallas Cowboys season

Some of the issues covered in the 2002 Cowboys season include:

• Quincy Carter's pressure to stay the consistent starting quarterback and the acquisition of Chad Hutchinson as a backup quarterback.
• Rookie Roy Williams' adjustment to professional football.
• Emmitt Smith beginning his final season in Dallas, and his pursuit to become the NFL's all-time rushing yards leader.
• Dave Campo heading into his third (and eventually, final) season as Dallas' head coach.

Kansas City Chiefs (2007)

Actor and Chiefs fan Paul Rudd narrated the 2007 season of Hard Knocks

Main article: 2007 Kansas City Chiefs season

The series returned on August 8, 2007, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs 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 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 following the trade of Trent Green.
• Star running back Larry Johnson's contract holdout.
• Priest Holmes' attempted return to football after missing all of 2006 after a career-threatening neck injury.
• The contract holdout and later development of rookie wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick of 2007.
• Boomer Grigsby's switch from linebacker to fullback.
• The development of rookie defensive linemen Tank Tyler and Turk McBride.
• The competition between two undrafted cornerbacks - Tyron Brackenridge and Dimitri Patterson.
• Arena Football League star Bobby Sippio's attempt to catch on with an outdoor team.

Dallas Cowboys (2008)

Main article: 2008 Dallas Cowboys season

The Dallas Cowboys 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 Adam "Pacman" Jones' reinstatement into the NFL.
• Keon Lattimore, a younger brother of Ray Lewis, competing for a job.
• Todd Lowber, 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.
• Rookies Felix Jones and Martellus Bennett adjusting to NFL camp for the first time.

Cincinnati Bengals (2009)

Main article: 2009 Cincinnati Bengals season

The Cincinnati Bengals 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, Chris Pressley, Fui Vakapuna, and J.D. Runnels.
• The injuries of tight ends Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht, and the adjustment of rookie tight end Chase Coffman to the NFL.
• The contract holdout of offensive tackle Andre Smith, the Bengals' first-round draft pick of 2009.
• The battle for the starting strong safety position between veteran Roy Williams and Chinedum Ndukwe.
• The recovery effort of starting quarterback Carson Palmer from an injury-plagued 2008 season.
• The antics and catchphrases of wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (who is now Chad Johnson).
• The development and maturation of wide receiver Chris Henry.

New York Jets (2010)

Main article: 2010 New York Jets season

The New York Jets 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 Rex Ryan, highlighted by several sound bites that became popular after the season, such as "That's being a jackass!" and "Let's go eat a goddamn snack!"
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis' contract holdout.
• The battle for the starting fullback position between veteran Tony Richardson, journeyman Jason Davis and rookie John Conner.
• Second-year starting quarterback Mark Sanchez's development as the "face" of the franchise.
• Kris Jenkins' return after ACL surgery.
• Running back Danny Woodhead's attempt to make the team.
• Cornerback Antonio Cromartie attempting (and failing) to name all 9 of his children.

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, Shannon Sharpe, Mike Westhoff, and others.

Miami Dolphins (2012)

Main article: 2012 Miami Dolphins season

On May 29, 2012, Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin announced that the team would participate in the 2012 season of Hard Knocks. The first episode of the 2012 season is currently freely available to stream in the U.S. on HBO's website.

Some of the issues covered in the 2012 Dolphins season include:

• The contract negotiation of Ryan Tannehill, followed by his development as a rookie quarterback in the NFL.
• The quarterback position battle between Matt Moore, David Garrard and Ryan Tannehill, with Tannehill winning the starting job after week 2 of the pre-season.
• 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, and his subsequent release from the team.
• The meeting in which Philbin notifies Chad Johnson (formerly Chad Ochocinco) of his release from the team following his arrest for allegedly headbutting his wife of 41 days.
• The trade of cornerback Vontae Davis to the Indianapolis Colts for two future draft picks.

Cincinnati Bengals (2013)

Main article: 2013 Cincinnati Bengals season

The Cincinnati Bengals were featured in the 2013 season, which was the team's second appearance on the show. The first episode of the season premiered on August 6, 2013.

Some of the issues covered in the 2013 Bengals season include:

Hard Knocks filming crew with Jermaine Gresham, 2013

• Rookie defensive lineman Larry Black's season ending injury
• Linebacker James Harrison's dislike of the camera crew at training camp
• The back-up quarterback position battle between Josh Johnson and John Skelton
• Estonian rookie defensive end Margus Hunt'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
• The linebacker position battle between undrafted rookies Jayson DiManche and Bruce Taylor
• Linebacker Aaron Maybin's struggle to stay on the team and his pursuit of painting.

Atlanta Falcons (2014)

Hard Knocks film crew at Atlanta Falcons training camp, 2014

On June 12, 2014, the Atlanta Falcons 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's attempt to return from a major injury and switch positions.
• Rookies Tyler Starr and Jaques Smith's attempt to make the team.

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, not HBO, and was narrated by frequent NFL Films narrator Robb Webb.

Some of the issues covered in this 2004 series include:

• Jack Del Rio's second season as a head coach following a disappointing debut in 2003.
• The development of rookie wide receiver Reggie Williams, the Jaguars' first-round draft pick of 2004.

External links

• HBO's Official "Hard Knocks" Website
• Template:Tv.com show
• Hard Knocks at IMDb