After years of featuring downtrodden teams, Hard Knocks finally got its wish.
Earlier this year, the NFL changed the eligibility rules for appearing on the training camp edition of Hard Knocks. Under the old eligibility rules, teams that had made the playoffs in either of the previous two seasons, were undergoing a head coaching change, or appeared on the show within the last decade, had the right to refuse featuring on the show. That typically led to a less-than-stellar franchise getting the nod. Now, NFL Films can select from a much wider pool of teams.
This season, the Hard Knocks crew settled on the Buffalo Bills. The show will likely take on a much different tone than recent seasons as the Bills look to get over the hump and make a Super Bowl run under star quarterback Josh Allen. And for Hard Knocks executive producer Ken Rodgers, that’s a recipe for success.
Speaking with The Athletic’s Tim Graham, Rodgers explained why he saw the Bills as the “perfect” fit for the show as the pool of teams widened substantially for the first time this season.
“It felt like we had enough years here of an audience outside the Buffalo Bills’ fandom knowing the Bills, but not knowing enough about the Bills,” Rodgers said. “They’ve gotten their national appearances. They’ve gotten their playoff runs. They’ve gotten their awards, including last year’s MVP. But I don’t think enough people know about them and what their philosophy is and what mindset created this current run of success. That’s a shame, and it makes me feel like they’re the perfect team to expose outside their own fandom.
“Hard Knocks has a larger, casual fan base than most other NFL programming. It’s a workplace drama, and it’s about the characters. It’s become a series that’s about the people, and I think the nation is going to get to know these people in a way that they haven’t experienced from just watching them play on Sunday.
“It will be a different-feeling show because the drama will be elsewhere,” Rodgers continued. “It won’t be drama in trying to fix what’s broken. It’s going to be drama in trying to take one small step forward and win that Super Bowl. I guess that’s a humongous step, but it’s one more step, whereas some teams we feature have to cover a country mile to get back into the race and fight for the division. This won’t be a drama of desperation like some training camps are around the NFL. The drama is a self-aware, confident drama in that ‘We know who we are, and we know what we have to do. The question is, can we do it?’ The stakes are important because they’re that close to the ultimate goal. That’s great television.”
No doubt, Hard Knocks will take on a completely different feel this year. And for longtime fans of the show, that should keep this season exciting and fresh. Rarely is the reigning NFL MVP showcased on a season of Hard Knocks. But that’s exactly what we’re getting this season as the Buffalo Bills attempt to top the AFC and reach the Super Bowl.