Cowboys — Not Jaguars — Selected for HBO and NFL Films 'Hard Knocks'
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been firmly in the public eye this offseason, for better or for worse. But it wasn’t enough to garner one of the most sought-after boosts for downtrodden teams; being the subject of NFL and HBO’s "Hard Knocks" series.
Instead, for the 2021 offseason, that honor will go to the Dallas Cowboys.
Each offseason, HBO and NFL Films select one team to feature in a five-episode documentary, chronicling the club’s training camp. Pitched as “an unfiltered all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League” Hard Knocks doesn’t require their subject to be an NFL team coming off of a disappointing season, although that is typically the case.
The team in question is also often one that has captured the public’s attention in the offseason, and one that promises to improve in the coming season. In fact, ten of the last twelve teams featured on "Hard Knocks" have equaled or improved their win-loss record in the regular season.
Thus far this offseason, the Jaguars—who finished 1-15 last season, last in the AFC South—have hired a new head coach who is stepping into his very first NFL role, made both berated and lauded staffing hires, drafted a generational quarterback first overall, signed a lightning rod quarterback to a new position nearly a decade after his last game and most recently, been hit with fines by the NFL for OTA violations which saw players tackling in practice.
In other words, it’s been a doozy of an offseason. Typically that is the fodder that lands oneself on "Hard Knocks." When asked about the possibility a few weeks ago on the Rich Eisen Show, Head Coach Urban Meyer didn’t say yes to the idea, but he also didn’t say no.
When asked by Eisen if there was any chance the Jacksonville Jaguars would appear on "Hard Knocks" this summer, Meyer at first deflected, joking, “Well I got [Vice President of Football Communication] Ms. Amy Palcic sitting right here staring at me in my office so I’ll let her handle all those conversations.”
In the end though, Meyer was open to the idea, as he told Eisen at the time.
“I think most coaches wanna go in a submarine and show up on game day ready to rock and roll without distractions. But I also understand and respect the NFL, what it stands for. The network, what it stands for. And I do believe this is an interesting story here. And one of the reasons that I wouldn’t mind the world knowing is that we have some really good players and some really good people here and it’s a great city and we have a great owner.”
Still, it was “America’s Team” that was tabbed to be highlighted, their third time as the subject of the show. The Jaguars have never been featured in the 20 years the show has been aired.
“The Cowboys are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history and a team that elicits strong reactions from fans around the world," said Ken Rodgers, Vice President, Senior Coordinating Producer at NFL Films, in a release from the NFL detailing the decision.
“Tens of millions of fans love them, but just as many people love to hate them. Either way, when the Cowboys show up people watch, which makes them perfect for Hard Knocks. This year, their high-profile status as "America's Team" is paired with uniquely interesting storylines. We can't thank Mr. Jones and Coach McCarthy enough for letting us tell the story behind what we hope is the beginning of an exciting year in Dallas.”
"Hard Knocks" premiers August 10 and will run through September 7, the Tuesday before the 2021 season kicks off for the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars return to offseason practice on July 27, when training camp begins.
