Green Bay Packers president and chief executive Mark Murphy appears to have confirmed that the New York Jets will feature on the NFL Films produced documentary series 'Hard Knocks' this summer.
The league have yet to announce who they will follow during training camp later this month, but the Jets are one of four franchises eligible. The other three are the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and the Washington Commanders.
They can, therefore, but forced by the NFL to cooperate as all four are not exempt due to their stated criteria. None of them have appeared on the show over the last decade, nor do they have a first-year head coach this summer, nor did they make the playoffs these last two seasons.
So, despite Jets coach Robert Saleh making known their feelings on featuring known, the league's decision is final. Comments from Murphy suggest that it is already set.
In a monthly Murphy Takes 5 feature on the Packers website, where the president and CEO fields five fan questions, the topic of 'Hard Knocks' was addressed. “‘Hard Knocks’ is a great show and gives fans an inside look at a team’s training camp,” Murphy said.
It also provides good publicity for the team. The downside is that it can be a distraction and teams are concerned that other teams can learn information from the show.
The best thing to do if you don’t want to be on ‘Hard Knocks’ is to make the playoffs every year. The league (and HBO) can only require a team to appear on ‘Hard Knocks’ if they have failed to make the playoffs two years in a row.”
After hearing out the opposition from one fan about the Packers featuring on the show in the future, Murphy hinted about who they will be watching on the show later this summer. “I’m anxious to see the Jets and the many ex-Packers on 'Hard Knocks' this summer — should be very entertaining,” the team president added.
While Murphy is already looking forward to an inside look at the Jets' camp, Coach Saleh is not so keen. Speaking at a press conference after an organised team activity (OTA) early last month, the team's stance was clear.
“I know there are several teams that would love 'Hard Knocks' to be in their building, we’re just not one of them,” Saleh said.
After their offseason activity in trading for former Packers quarterback, the Jets are an intriguing prospect heading into camp. The NFL should seek to capitalise upon that.
They have already done so with the television schedule. Rodgers and company will be on national TV six times this season, a franchise-high figure of primetime appearances (once more than in 2010 and 2011).
Now, as an appetiser to those games, they seem set to be receiving the 'Hard Knocks' treatment too. The Rodgers revolution will be televised.
