Jul 18, 2023
The New York Jets will begrudgingly open their doors to HBO's "Hard Knocks" during training camp this summer. But don't expect the same level of access other seasons have enjoyed.
The team reportedly asked the NFL not to feature them this year, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, before they were officially picked. The Jets also reportedly plan to limit HBO's access to the team, which includes not showing players being released throughout the summer.
This comes after head coach Robert Saleh, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and special teams captain Justin Hardee publicly voiced their displeasure with being on the show. Saleh told reporters in June — before the Jets were picked — that New York wasn't a team that wanted the show in their building. Rodgers went so far as to say, "They shoved it down our throats," after the news broke. Hardee, meanwhile, called the cameras what many believe they are: "a distraction."
Jets general manager Joe Douglas also has his own personal reason for not wanting film crews to be in the building. Douglas was in the first season of "Hard Knocks" in 2001, when he worked for the Baltimore Ravens and had to escort players to the room where they'd be told they were being cut. He was called "The Turk" on the show but said he felt like "The Grim Reaper."
Source: Yahoo Sports