HBO’s “Hard Knocks” offseason series struggled to find an NFL team to follow for 2025 but will reportedly follow an upstart college program.
Offseason Series Becomes The School of Hard Knocks
In a post on X, Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported that Bill Belichick and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels football program are set to make history as the first college team to be featured on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” offseason series.
This unexpected development comes after NFL Films failed to find an NFL team for the show following the fallout of its first season that documented the circus that was the New York Giants front office.
BREAKING: Bill Belichick and UNC will be featured on Offseason Hard Knocks after NFL Films could not find an NFL team to do it after the Joe Schoen debacle last year, sources tell @FOS
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) February 28, 2025
The decision to pivot to a college football team marks a significant shift for the popular sports doc series. Since leaving his position as head coach of the New England Patriots, Belichick was a hit on the media circuit, regularly appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, the Manningcast, and This Week in Football.
While Belichick showed a different, more refreshing side to his personality in his post-coaching career, he delivered another surprise in taking over as UNC’s head coach in December 2024.
The move to feature UNC comes after the Joe Schoen fiasco during the 2024 offseason “Hard Knocks” with the New York Giants. The show captured a moment where Schoen was seen telling running back Saquon Barkley to test free agency. This scene became infamous when Barkley signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and helped them win Super Bowl LIV3.
The aftermath of the Giants’ 2024 offseason made NFL teams wary of participating in the offseason version of “Hard Knocks.” Joe Schoen commented on the situation, saying, “I haven’t gotten any calls on that. I think I know what I would tell them,” hinting at the negative experience.
This opportunity presents a unique chance for UNC and Belichick to showcase the program’s transformation under new leadership. Belichick, known for his reticence with the media during his NFL career, will now be front and center in a documentary format.
The series is expected to provide unprecedented access to Belichick’s coaching methods and the inner workings of a program looking to rise through the ranks. It will likely cover spring practice, recruitment efforts, and the team’s preparation for the 2025 season.
As the lines between professional and college sports continue to blur, this iteration of “Hard Knocks” may set a new precedent for future sports documentaries.
The combination of Bill Belichick’s storied career and the tradition-rich UNC football program promises to deliver compelling television for football fans across the country.