Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his new team, the New York Jets, will star in the new season of HBO‘s sports docuseries Hard Knocks. It’s not the first time the team has featured in the acclaimed show, but it appears that Rodgers is less than thrilled to be appearing.
“NFL Films has a long and storied relationship with the Jets, from the early days of the AFL and Joe Namath’s ‘#1’ salute after Super Bowl III, to The Sack Exchange, and the team’s first appearance on Hard Knocks in the midst of back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances,” NFL Films executive producer Patrick Kelleher said in a statement.
“The 2010 Jets changed the profile and the success of Hard Knocks forever. That Jets team made football fun for fans. And now we are excited for a new partnership with this iconic organization and HBO to create another chapter in both NFL and television history filled with great personalities and a roster striving to reach new heights of success.”
Rodgers himself is seemingly unhappy about being featured in the series.
“I understand the appeal with us,” Rogers said from the 14th green at the American Century Championship. “There’s a lot of eyes on me, a lot of eyes on our team. A lot of expectations for our squad.
“They forced it down our throat, and we have to deal with it,” he concluded.
He also mentioned that “one of the only things I like about Hard Knocks is the voice of God, who narrates it, Liev [Schreiber]; I hope I get to meet him.”
After 18 years with the Green Bay Packers and their 2021 victory, Rodgers was traded to the Jets this April. Despite being 39 years old, he’s still considered one of the most valuable quarterbacks in the league. There are a lot of expectations with such a player on their team, especially since the Jets haven’t won a playoff in over ten years.
Hard Knocks is a reality sports documentary produced by the NFL and HBO. The show follows an NFL team during training camp each season in preparation for the upcoming season. Originally debuting in 2001, the network has since added an in-season addition of the show that follows teams through the regular season—the previous season followed the Detroit Lions.
Hard Knocks, Season 19 Premiere, Tuesday, August 8, 10/9c, HBO
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
