After several months of searching, it looks like the NFL has finally picked a team to be on HBO's "Hard Knocks."
With no one willing to volunteer for the show, all signs are pointing to the fact that the NFL is now going to force the Jets to do it. First, we had a report on June 26 that the Jets were bracing to be on the HBO show. There also seemed to be even more of a confirmation over the weekend and that confirmation came from a high-ranking team employee: Packers president Mark Murphy.
During a Q&A on the Packers' website, Murphy was asked about "Hard Knocks" and without being prompted -- he was asked about the Packers' chances of being on the show -- the Packers president brought up the Jets.
"I'm anxious to see the Jets and the many ex-Packers on 'Hard Knocks' this summer -- should be very entertaining," Murphy said.
The way that Murphy wrote that doesn't make it seem like he's guessing that it's going to be the Jets. It sounds like he KNOWS it's going to be the Jets.
Of course, if it is the Jets, the show will likely score high television ratings in Green Bay due to all the Packers players now on New York's roster. Besides Aaron Rodgers, the Jets also have Adrian Amos, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Malik Taylor, Tim Boyle, Billy Turner and Adam Pankey. Not to mention, Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was previously in Green Bay for three years (2019-22).
If the Jets are indeed the "Hard Knocks" team, that will end what has been a major headache for the NFL. The league has been in a quandary this offseason and that's mostly because no team has shown any interest in doing the show. Of the four teams eligible to be on the show -- the Saints, Jets, Bears and Commanders -- three of them have flat out said that they're not interested while the fourth one (Washington) is coached by a guy in Ron Rivera who said in 2021 that he would have no interest in doing the show after doing Amazon's "All or Nothing" while coaching the Panthers in 2018.
In a twist, the Jets were trying NOT to do the show. Coach Robert Saleh had even made it clear in early June that he was adamantly against his team being selected.
"I know there are several teams that would love 'Hard Knocks' to be in their building," Saleh said, via SI.com. "We're just not one of them."
If the Jets do end up being the team, it will mark their second time on the show, following a 2010 stint which is mostly remembered for Rex Ryan telling his team to go eat a "God d--- snack."