Jets to premiere on HBO's 'Hard Knocks' on Aug. 8
New Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is introduced as he sits with head coach Robert Saleh on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 in Florham Park. Credit: Howard Schnapp
HBO, NFL Films and the Jets made official on Monday what was widely expected: that the Jets will appear on this summer’s edition of “Hard Knocks,” the long-running series that takes fans behind the scenes at NFL training camps.
The five-episode series will premiere on Aug. 8 at 10 p.m., with subsequent episodes appearing every Tuesday through Sept. 5.
The Jets did not want to participate but the NFL tabbed them anyway, given the huge level of interest surrounding the team since its signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets were one of four teams — with the Saints, Bears and Commanders — who met the criteria for being eligible to appear. They hadn’t been on the show in at least 10 years, hadn’t made the playoffs in either of the previous two seasons and do not have a first-year head coach.
The team’s last appearance on the show was in 2010 under coach Rex Ryan, who relished that spotlight.
“NFL Films has a long and storied relationship with the Jets, from the early days of the AFL and Joe Namath’s #1 salute after Super Bowl III, to the Sack Exchange, and the team’s first appearance on ‘Hard Knocks’ in the midst of back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances,” NFL Films executive producer Patrick Kelleher said in a news release. “The 2010 Jets changed the profile and the success of ‘Hard Knocks’ forever. That Jets team made football fun for fans.”
The news release did not quote anyone from the Jets. It did twice mention that the 2010 Jets reached the AFC title game, perhaps to note that being on the show does not necessarily hurt a team’s performance on the field.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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