“Hard Knocks” is reportedly turning to the college ranks, but not necessarily by choice.
Front Office Sports (FOS) reported Friday that the HBO series’ offseason edition will highlight Bill Belichick and his new gig with the University of North Carolina.
It is certainly an intriguing storyline, but it apparently comes after the network could not find an NFL team to be featured following the backlash the New York Giants have gotten because of it.
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Bill Belichick, left, and Joe Schoen. (IMAGN)
The G-Men were the first team to be featured in the new offseason edition of the show, and cameras captured Joe Schoen, now infamously being quite at ease with Saquon Barkley not returning to the team.
Barkley, of course, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, a move that John Mara said on the show that would give him a “tough time sleeping.” Barkley then went on to have maybe the best season ever for a running back.
He became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season, set the record for most rushing yards in one year, including the playoffs, and was named the Offensive Player of the Year. To put the icing on the cake, he also won the Super Bowl.
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, center, holds the Vince Lombardi trophy during the Eagles Super Bowl championship parade on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Damian Giletto/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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While Barkley found immense success in Philly, the Giants had arguably their worst season in franchise history, going 3-14 with four different starting quarterbacks. They also missed out on the first overall pick after winning their Week 17 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
FOS said the “Joe Schoen debacle” deterred teams from being featured. Unlike the training camp edition, there are no “requirements” to bring features in either the offseason or regular season versions of the show, so teams have more freedom to be featured.
Belichick was off the NFL sidelines last year for the first time in nearly five decades, but he signed on to join UNC in December. He interviewed for at least two NFL jobs last offseason, but was not selected.
New York Giants co-owner John Mara, left, and New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speak with New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, right, at MetLife Stadium before their team hosts the New England Patriots on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. (Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Despite the highly-publicized (hindsight 20/20) mistake, Mara opted to keep both Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
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