As the Bengals prepare to kick off training camp with "Hard Knocks," the popular documu-series that follows one NFL team through training camp, the show has come out with some good news.
HBO and NFL Films have announced a "multi-year" agreement that will ensure the show will continue to be produced moving forward.
"It's always been tough [to find teams," Ross Ketover, NFL Films Senior Coordinating Producer, said.
The show has faced difficulties in the past. From 2003 to 2006, the show wasn't produced, and in 2011, a team was not found willing to host the show following the NFL's labor lockout.
The Bengals, in agreeing to host this year's edition of "Hard Knocks," join the Cowboys as the only teams to have participated in the show on two separate occasions. The Chiefs (2007), Jets (2010) and the Dolphins (2012) have also participated.
For fans, there are few looks beyond "Hard Knocks" that give such a genuine and authentic view of what football behind the scenes really looks like. During training camp, these teams are trying just as hard as anyone else to get ready for the season, and they don't have time to pose for the cameras as they may in other circumstances. The agreement between NFL Films and HBO means we'll continue to get an annual look inside one NFL team.
