NY Jets 'reluctant' to appear on 'Hard Knocks' this season

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Robert Saleh / NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK

The NY Jets are one of four NFL teams that can be forced to participate in HBO's "Hard Knocks" series this year, and the expectation is that they will be selected.

After all, the eventual acquisition of Aaron Rodgers coupled with the team's pursuit of their first playoff appearance in over a decade and a roster full of exciting young talent should make for excellent television.

The Jets themselves, however, aren't too thrilled about the idea. Brian Costello of the New York Post reported last week that the Jets "will resist appearing on the show."

Costello reported that the "coaches are reluctant because of the distractions it can cause," and that adding Rodgers is going to draw enough attention. The Jets don't want the cameras and increased media attention.

Unfortunately, they likely won't have a choice.

The NY Jets might be forced to appear on 'Hard Knocks' against their wishes

The Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders, and New Orleans Saints are the only other three teams that can be forced to appear on "Hard Knocks" this season.

That's because none of those teams have appeared on "Hard Knocks" within the last 10 years, they all haven't made the postseason within the previous two seasons, and they all don't have a first-year head coach.

If a team meets those criteria, they don't necessarily have a say in whether they appear on the program or not. The Jets may push back against the idea, but ultimately, it's the NFL and HBO who make the final decision.

We should hear an announcement about HBO's "Hard Knocks" team soon. Last year, the NFL announced the Detroit Lions' appearance on the show in late March.

The show can be a distraction for coaches and players alike, but that didn't stop the Lions from putting together their best season in half a decade last year. It also didn't stop the 2010 Jets from reaching the AFC Championship Game.

Jets special-teams captain Justin Hardee spoke out about the Jets' reluctancy to appear on "Hard Knocks" earlier this month, and he's likely not the only player that feels this way.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter. If the NFL and HBO agree that the Jets should be this year's "Hard Knocks" team, that's what's going to happen.

From a ratings and entertainment perspective, it's hard to blame them.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.