HBO and NFL Films will be shining the spotlight on the Detroit Lions for the upcoming season of the sports documentary series Hard Knocks. More than 1,750 hours of footage will be shot for the Emmy Award-winning series’ 17th season, Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions.
“We are excited about the opportunity to showcase the City of Detroit and the amazing culture we are building at the Lions,” stated Detroit Lions Team President and CEO, Rod Wood. “HBO Sports and NFL Films are the best of the best and we know they will be excellent partners in sharing our story with football fans around the world.”
Fun fact: According to HBO and NFL Films, 11 of the most recent 13 teams spotlighted by Hard Knocks have equaled or improved their regular-season records. So, Lions fans have that going for them.
“As Hard Knocks enters its third decade inside NFL training camps, we are both thrilled and thankful for the opportunity to feature a historic franchise like the Lions,” said NFL Films Vice President and Senior Coordinating Producer, Ken Rodgers. “The city, the culture and the coaching staff in Detroit all have an exciting energy that will make the show must-watch television this summer.”
Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions will kick off its five-episode season on August 9, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT. New episodes premiere on subsequent Tuesdays leading up to the September 6 season finale.
The Baltimore Ravens were the first NFL team to participate in Hard Knocks. Recent seasons have focused on the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders (before they moved to Vegas), and Cleveland Browns. Liev Schreiber has narrated all but one season of the docuseries and is confirmed to return for season 17.
HBO released the following description of the upcoming season:
Camera crews will head to the Lions’ training camp in Allen Park, Michigan in the next few months to begin filming. The action will heat up in August when the cinema verité show focuses on the daily lives and routines of players and coaches. Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions will chronicle head coach Dan Campbell entering his second season leading the team and an intriguing mix of young emerging stars, established veterans, free agent additions, and highly regarded rookie hopefuls throughout training camp and the preseason.
A 30-person NFL Films crew will be at Lions’ training camp in Allen Park, shooting more than 1,750 hours of footage over the course of the series. Camera and sound crews will have unencumbered access to players’ and coaches’ meeting rooms, training rooms, living quarters and practice fields.
