Last week, the NFL announced that the New York Giants will be featured on an offseason version of “Hard Knocks” in July. That does not rule out the possibility of the Denver Broncos being featured on the training camp version of “Hard Knocks” during training camp in August.
The Broncos are one of three teams who technically can’t say no if the NFL asks them to be featured on HBO’s series this summer.
Denver, the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints meet the requirements for a mandatory appearance on the popular NFL Films program that follows a team through training camp each year.
The Bears are probably the NFL’s preferred choice because they just drafted quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but Chicago does not want to be featured on the show. The NFL could ignore the Bears’ preferences and force them into “Hard Knocks,” or another team could volunteer to make the league’s decision easier.
While we wait for an official announcement from the NFL, Denver remains in contention. Broncos coach Sean Payton hinted at a silver lining of “Hard Knocks” in January, perhaps a sign that he is bracing for the possibility of being featured on the show this summer.
The NFL hasn’t given an indication on when the 2024 team will be announced. Unless another club volunteers for the show, one of the Broncos, Bears or Saints will be featured during training camp.
