The Ravens are returning to HBO’s Hard Knocks for the first time since they were featured in the show’s original training camp series in 2001.
In addition, the sports documentary franchise will chronicle an entire NFL division for the first time with “Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North,” debuting Tuesday, December 3rd at 9 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and available to stream on Max.
New episodes, featuring the Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, will premiere on subsequent Tuesdays through the end of the NFL regular season and continue into the NFL playoffs in January 2025.
“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 and a playoff run for the division winner and any AFC North wild-card teams.
The 18-time Emmy-winning series will deliver its signature all-access coverage as it follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as Ravens coach John Harbaugh, Bengals coach Zac Taylor and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski.
Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will share the “Hard Knocks” spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt and other AFC North key players.
“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,'” said Keith Cossrow, NFL Films vice president and head of content. “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.”
After the Ravens were featured in 2001, the Cincinnati Bengals were featured in the summer show in 2009 and 2013, and the Browns in 2018. The Steelers will be making their debut.
“We are ecstatic to expand the ‘Hard Knocks’ universe with our partners at NFL Films to the always thrilling AFC North division race,” said Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, co-executive vice presidents, HBO Documentary and Family Programming, and Bentley Weiner, vice president, HBO Sports Documentaries. “In 2024, ‘Hard Knocks’ will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and the Chicago Bears. What a year it will be on HBO and Max for football fans everywhere.”