Nobody is excited about the offseason edition of Hard Knocks, especially following the New York Giants’ weeks of public embarrassment. Even Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles noted that HBO may struggle to find a willing team to participate. “Moving forward, they are going to have a hard time finding a team,” Poles remarked. “There is no show without access. That involves extensive internal conversations. I occasionally find it challenging to discuss player matters openly; while we strive for transparency, I’m unsure whether everything needs to be public.”
The moments that leaked certainly didn’t showcase the Giants positively, highlighting their desire to move on from Daniel Jones while being stuck with him. The situation with Saquon Barkley should have been straightforward, but owner John Mara turned it into a public pity party, admitting he’d struggle to sleep over losing his All-Pro running back.
#Giants owner John Mara on Saquon Barkley potentially attracting interest from the Eagles and Bears:
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that. … He’s the most popular player we have BY FAR.”pic.twitter.com/T0SJDIyHZH
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 17, 2024
Ultimately, he lost Barkley to a division rival, and as expected, that situation unfolded poorly. So, who is actually willing to step up for this? Ben Koo from Awful Announcing explored possibilities, but it’s tough to see any team volunteering after the Giants’ experience turned Hard Knocks into a cautionary tale.
How can it be salvaged? Rich Eisen suggested a team indirectly involved in the first and only season of Hard Knocks: Offseason: the Philadelphia Eagles. “From what I’ve been told, a very, very, very warm place would have to freeze over before a team in the NFL agrees to do an offseason Hard Knocks again,” he stated. “This is based on feedback from all 32 teams.” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero added, “While they provided explanations for their decisions, the outcome was catastrophic, especially with Saquon having a record season and winning the Super Bowl. It was the worst-case scenario resulting from their decisions.”
Despite this, Pelissero didn’t see a problem with them doing the show, believing it offered a chance to educate about roster management, even if it turned out poorly. “This was beyond anything they could’ve feared. It’s just unfortunate how it unfolded.”
Now, how do we prevent such disasters moving forward? Brockman has a solution: “You want to save offseason Hard Knocks? The Eagles should volunteer to showcase ‘This is how it’s done.’ They can demonstrate how an elite front office operates and builds a team—watch us.” It’s a solid idea, albeit one that may not materialize, but it could be beneficial.
The concept itself is sound; the Giants’ experience was an execution failure rather than a reflection on the idea. NFL fans crave behind-the-scenes access, and when executed well, Hard Knocks can deliver an unfiltered view of team operations. However, many teams still see it as a risk rather than an opportunity. If the right franchise steps up, Hard Knocks could evolve from a cautionary tale into a captivating examination of football management. The Eagles appear to fit the bill as a viable option, boasting the confidence and organizational effectiveness needed to avoid a PR disaster and potentially highlight the strengths of one of the league’s best-run franchises.
Easier said than done, though.
