How Seahawks are Adjusting to 'Hard Knocks' Cameras

Arguably the biggest change in this year’s Seattle Seahawks training camp isn’t the new players, coaches or schemes. It’s the presence of a camera crew from HBO’s “Hard Knocks” show, which is constantly filming the players on and off the field.

It’s an adjustment, of course, for everyone in the franchise. But head coach Mike Macdonald has emphasized that the Seahawks try to maintain their authentic cultures and selves, he said following the team’s first padded practice of training camp on Thursday.

“Well, I said they're really good at capturing and doing what they do. Let's make sure we're us. And then trust that what's displayed is us, Macdonald said. “You can't control what they capture. All those things — what you can control is how we go about our business.”

How Seahawks are adjusting

Jul 25, 2026; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) interacts with fans after the first training camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Macdonald detailed an example of a situation that was the opposite of what he was preaching. And he called himself out as a result.

“We had an episode the other day that we weren't us, and I was really the culprit. I was responsible for it. And when you notice it, you just gotta go make it right. But that's what we do,” Macdonald said. “If we mess up or if we go across the line or we chase an edge and we miss, we gotta be smart enough and have the humility to come back over to the other side and go move forward. So, the guys have been great. I feel like we've been us the whole time. We had a great spirit today.”

Sam Darnold also took an optimistic approach to the changes, joking about how his different teammates may handle the extra attention.

“It's been great. We're loving it,” Darnold said. “You know, it was funny. It was a talk in the QB room. It was like, ‘Who's going to change and who's not when the cameras go on just in the locker room?’ And no one's really changed, which I'm proud of. It's been fun, though. I think after the first three or four days, you kind of forget the cameras are there, which might be a bad thing. But, no, I think we're all kind of used to it at this point.”

The series will be five episodes, with the premiere set for 6 p.m. PST on Friday, Aug. 4. It will include the entirety of the Seahawks’ first few training camp practices coming off their Super Bowl LX victory last season.

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