HBO’s acclaimed docuseries “Hard Knocks” is back! The new season debuts tonight, Dec. 3, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and the streaming service Max. However, the series has a fresh twist this time around. Here’s everything you need to know about this edition of “Hard Knocks.”
What Is This New Season of ‘Hard Knocks’ About?
The new series is titled “Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North.” For the first time ever, the show will feature an entire division, detailing the battle for the AFC North crown. This will also be the first time that the series follows a team during the NFL playoffs.
Here is the description of the new season: “‘Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North'” will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams.”
This season will provide an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at one of the league’s most competitive divisions and what it’s like to go on an NFL postseason run.
This also marks the first time that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series. The Baltimore Ravens (2001), Cincinnati Bengals (2009 and 2013), and Cleveland Browns (2018) have all appeared on the show in past years.
“Last season, the AFC North became the first division ever to have all four teams finish with a winning record, making it the perfect place to launch this new approach to ‘Hard Knocks,'” NFL Films VP and Head of Content Keith Cossrow said. “We thank the Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers for the opportunity to showcase some of the greatest rivalries in football and present the intensity of a playoff chase from all four corners of this incredibly competitive division.”
Now that this iteration follows teams during the postseason, “Hard Knocks” officially covers every part of the NFL season: the offseason, training camp, regular season, and playoffs.
‘Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North’ Trailer
What will a “Hard Knocks” season that follows an entire division look like?
Check out this preview for an idea:
A brand new era of Hard Knocks starts tonight.#HardKnocks In Season with the AFC North premieres Tuesday at 9pm ET on @StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/yULQaBGlgL
— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2024
How To Watch “Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North”
The series premieres tonight, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
New episodes will drop every Tuesday through January 2025, with the series continuing to follow the AFC North teams throughout the NFL playoffs.
Fans can watch the series live on HBO if they have access to the network through their cable or satellite provider. For those who prefer streaming, the new edition of “Hard Knocks” will also be available on Max.
Current AFC North Playoff Picture
The weather’s getting cold in the Midwest, but the AFC North playoff race is heating up.
The Steelers and Ravens are battling for the AFC North crown. Both teams are virtual locks to make the playoffs, but who does PFN’s Playoff Predictor project to win the division? Our model currently gives the Steelers (65.6% odds) the edge over the Ravens (34.2%).
Pittsburgh got a big boost and gained a full game on Baltimore by beating the Bengals in Week 13, while the Ravens lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. With a 1.5-game lead over the Ravens, even if Pittsburgh loses the rematch to Baltimore in Week 16, Mike Tomlin’s team controls its own destiny for the division if it can sweep the other four games.
However, Pittsburgh has the NFL’s eighth-hardest remaining schedule (vs. Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals). Meanwhile, the Ravens have the 12th-easiest remaining schedule (BYE, at Giants, vs. Steelers, at Texans, vs. Browns).
For the Bengals, it’s Wild Card or bust. But even that may be a stretch, as they enter Week 14 with just a 4.6% chance of making the playoffs, according to PFN’s simulator.
One thing working against the Bengals is that they’re the only AFC team still in the playoff hunt with six conference losses. The teams currently in the three Wild Card spots — the Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos — have four, three, and four, respectively.
Latest AFC North Standings
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-5)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
- Cleveland Browns (3-9)