The HBO series Hard Knocks will feature the Detroit Lions this summer, the NFL announced yesterday.
The miserable Lions will be led by their charismatic coach Dan Campbell and QB Jared Goff. They’ll have the No. 2 pick in the NFL draw, but otherwise it looks to be a show void of star power.
“We are excited about the opportunity to showcase the City of Detroit and the amazing culture we are building at the Lions,” said Detroit Lions Team President and CEO, Rod Wood. “HBO Sports and NFL Films are the best of the best and we know they will be excellent partners in sharing our story with football fans around the world.”
According to the press release, there are advantages to being on the shows.
Eleven of the last thirteen teams featured on HARD KNOCKS have equaled or improved their win-loss record in the regular season. The Cleveland Browns launched the transformation of their organization on HBO and went from a winless 2017 season to coming within half a game (7-8-1) of a .500 campaign. The 2019 season saw the Raiders improve their record to 7-9 from the previous year’s 4-12 mark. Both Los Angeles’ teams, Rams and Chargers, improved their records in 2020 with two more wins from the previous year; with the Rams making the playoffs. Last year the Cowboys won their division going 12-5 from the previous year’s 6-10 mark.
The 17th edition of the series premiers August 9 at 10pm on HBO.