At this point, the future of HBO’s offseason Hard Knocks series seems murky at best. However, if any teams are contemplating participation, they have yet to reach out to New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, who became an unexpected star in its inaugural season — albeit for all the wrong reasons.
During the NFL Draft Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Schoen smirked and told reporters, “I haven’t gotten any calls on that. I think I know what I would tell them.”
Giants GM Joe Schoen was asked if any other teams have asked him about the Offseason Hard Knocks experience, since NFL still doesn’t have a team to do it this year: “No, I haven’t gotten any calls on that. I think I know what I would tell them.” #Giants pic.twitter.com/YBooMMshZk
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) February 25, 2025
It can be assumed Schoen’s advice would lean towards “don’t do it,” or “if you do, make sure you assertively control your final cut.” This caution stems from last year’s Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants, which prominently featured the team’s struggles to re-sign Saquon Barkley, who was on the verge of entering free agency. The show included Schoen’s phone calls with Barkley — something the star running back was apparently unaware of — and highlighted a particularly memorable scene where the GM discussed negotiations with Giants owner John Mara. As it became apparent that the Giants wouldn’t meet Barkley’s requested amount, Mara expressed, “I’m going to have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia.”
You’ll never guess what happened next.
“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia” – Giants owner John Mara
pic.twitter.com/LO7OMnRMlD— Crossing Broad (@CrossingBroad) July 17, 2024
This scene became so iconic that it inspired a sleeping aid commercial featuring Barkley just a month prior to his Super Bowl LIV win with the Eagles. It also sparked considerable skepticism about whether any team would be willing to participate in the offseason version of Hard Knocks in the future, as franchises are wary of potential embarrassment.
Should any NFL team choose to take the plunge, it appears Schoen would be open to their call. If anyone understands the pitfalls to navigate while being featured on the series, it’s the Giants GM, who many were surprised to see retain his position after his team’s 3-14 finish and his viral moments on the show.
