An annual tradition that harkens the return of football kicks off on Tuesday as Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears debuts on Max.
The Bears had an exciting offseason, drafting Caleb Williams No. 1 overall and adding WR Rome Odunze to give Williams a new weapon to target. Williams has +130 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the Rookie of the Year award and the Bears have a over/under win total of 8.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook, along with -115 odds to make the playoffs and +3500 odds to win the Super Bowl.
Of course, the Bears are just the latest team to be in the sights of the Hard Knocks cameras. Hard Knocks debuted in 2001 and every year since has followed an NFL team as they begin their preparations for the following seasons. In the past, most teams have not been eager to have their training camp documented on HBO/Max, likely seeing it as a distraction at an important time needed for serious preparation for the season ahead. So how have past teams fared? Let’s take a look at how the last three teams to grace our screens on Hard Knocks have done in the season that immediately followed their reality star turn.
2023: New York Jets
Preseason: 2-2
Regular season: 7-10
Playoff result: Did not qualify
Division standing: Third in the AFC East
The Jets were an easy choice for Hard Knocks last season after the addition of future Hall of Famer, and ever-controversial deep thinker, Aaron Rodgers. The addition of Rodgers had many thinking the Jets could be a serious Super Bowl contender.
Of course, things didn’t go as planned, with Rodgers going down for the season with a torn Achilles on just the fourth play of his much-anticipated Jets debut. The Jets didn’t really have a backup of which to speak (sorry, Zach Wilson), so their playoff hopes went to the sideline with Rodgers. The Jets did finish 7-10, which matched their 2022 record but was the franchise’s fourth straight season with at least 10 losses. Without Rodgers under center, this team was never going to the postseason. That doesn’t mean it was uneventful season, as with everything involving Rodgers there was plenty to talk about, including his push to return before the season finished. Ultimately, discretion was the better part of valor and Rodgers didn’t rush back to make a meaningless return.
2022: Detroit Lions
Preseason: 1-3
Regular season: 9-8
Playoff result: Did not qualify
Division standing: Second in the NFC North
The Lions appeared to be a team on the rise heading into Year 2 of the Dan Campbell era after playing the spoiler to two playoff teams (Cardinals and Packers) late in the 2021 campaign. The Lions used the the No. 2 overall pick in the Draft on DE Aidan Hutchinson, who notched 9.5 sacks and finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.
So everything was good, right? Well … not exactly. The Lions struggled out of the gate to 1-6 start, however after finding their footing Detroit went on a tear, finishing 9-8 and just missing the postseason. It was also their first winning season since 2017. The 2022 Lions also sent four players to the Pro Bowl, including QB Jared Goff, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, C Frank Ragnow and T Penei Sewell. The Lions would build upon that momentum, going 12-5 in 2023 en route to a berth in the NFC Championship.
2021: Dallas Cowboys
Preseason: 0-4
Regular season: 12-5
Playoff result: Lost in the Wild Card round
Division standing: First in the NFC East
How ’bout them Cowboys? If there was ever a team built for a reality show, it would be the Dallas Cowboys. There’s always something going on in and around Jerry World. In the offseason, franchise QB Dak Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension, which included a then-record $66 million signing bonus.
Coming off a disappointing 6-10 campaign in 2020, the Cowboys bounced back in 2021 thanks in large part to an NFL best (and team-record) 530 points. During the season the Cowboys had winning streaks of six and four games and swept the NFC East for the first time since 1998. Despite all this success, Dallas couldn’t get out of the Wild Card round and Big D is still in the midst of a Super Bowl drought dating back to the Barry Switzer era.
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